Two Ten Footwear Foundation is honoring six female power players at the second annual Women in Footwear Industry (WIFI) Awards in Las Vegas during FN Platform. The event, set for Feb. 13, is sponsored by Skechers.
“The footwear industry has such a diverse and accomplished group of women. We are proud to recognize some of them in this forum,” said industry veteran Carol Baiocchi, who co-founded Two Ten WIFI in 2010 with Diane Sullivan, CEO, president and chairwoman of Caleres.
Sullivan, who will be on hand to present the awards, added, “Since the inception of WIFI, we have seen tremendous growth and sense of community among women in the footwear industry. The Impact Awards provide a forum for recognizing the industry’s influential women leaders in a visible and meaningful way, while elevating the importance and relevance of WIFI.”
This year’s award winners include the following:
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Wendy Wood Yang, president of Hoka One One, Teva and Sanuk, will receive the WIFI Advancement Award. The honor is given to a woman who has contributed to the advancement of women and female leaders in the industry. Yang has been a strong advocate for women on her team at Deckers, pushing for their advancement.
Jodie Fox, co-founder and chief creative officer of Shoes of Prey, will be honored with the WIFI Influencer Award. The exec is being awarded for her leadership and creativity at Shoes of Prey, which she has grown into a multimillion-dollar company focused on customization.
The WIFI Leadership Award will go to Steve Madden‘s trio of powerful women who have made a major impact at the company: President Amelia Newton Varela, Gabriella Weiser, VP of marketing, and Karla Frieders, chief merchandising officer.
Alison Prince, VP and DMM of full price women’s active and kid’s shoes at Nordstrom, is set to receive the WIFI Community Award. She is being recognized for her role in the growth of WIFI. Prince encourages women to get involved through mentoring and events.
“Skechers is pleased to be the presenting sponsor of the Two Ten Footwear Foundation’s WIFI Impact Awards,” said Michael Greenberg, president of Skechers USA Inc. “There are so many talented women in the footwear industry whose significant contributions have helped shape the future of this business, and we are thrilled to support Two Ten in recognizing them for their efforts.”
