Thought Leadership

Anddria Clack-Rogers Varnado is the Vice President & General Manager, Consumer Business, North America at Kohler.  She began forging an impressive professional path early, receiving a degree in business administration from Clark Atlanta University before earning an MBA from Harvard Business School.  As an analyst on Wall Street, Anddria gained valuable management consulting and strategy expertise with Citibank, New York Life Insurance Company, and ZS Associates before pivoting to the world of consumer products and retail at Williams-Sonoma as Vice President, Head of Strategy & Business Development.  Here, she secured the acquisition of Outward Inc., one of the largest tech M&As in the company’s history.  Anddria was later recruited as Vice President, Head of Strategy and Business Development at Macy’s, before joining Kohler in her current role to drive direct-to-consumer initiatives across online, in-store, and in-home channels.  She also serves on the boards of PATTERN Beauty, Red Robin, and Umpqua Holdings Corporation.

Over the course of her career, Anddria has been recognized by many publications, including Architectural Digest and Forbes, for her accomplishments, and was honored as one of the “Most Influential Women in Bay Area Business” by The San Francisco Business Times.  Tim Boerkoel was honored to interview her for The Brownestone Group’s Pivot Perfect Thought Leadership series, diving deep into the concepts of authenticity, competence, empathy, and even theatre, resulting in a truly compelling feature on an inspiring, passionate leader.

Howard Melnick is the Executive Vice President, Global Chief Technology and Analytics Officer at Signet Jewelers, the parent company of several notable jewelry brands including Blue Nile, Kay, Jared, and Zales, among many others.  He joined the company in 2017 to lead the company through a mission of digital transformation, bringing years of invaluable information technology expertise from Deloitte & Touche, PepsiCo International, Marriott International, and Ralph Lauren Corporation.  Building a career working at high-profile companies, each within a completely different industry, has required Howard to make professional pivots with confidence and courage.  Paired with a consumer-centric mindset and a strong belief in the power of storytelling, he now brings lessons from his earlier professional experiences to his team at Signet, empowering them to take risks, drive innovation, and fuel the evolution of the company.

Tim Boerkoel at The Brownestone Group is proud to share Howard’s inspiring career background, as well as his philanthropic endeavors, with our readers.  We believe that this interview makes it abundantly clear that authenticity, compassion, and purpose are foundational elements for the leader he has become today.

Gavin Ivester, Director of Design & UX at Cisco, has taken his personal passions for brand, design, and production into a wide range of industries, forging his professional path through courage and curiosity.  Beginning his career as a forklift driver at Apple, he parlayed his creative skills into becoming an industrial designer, creating the original PowerBook.  Gavin’s next endeavor was entrepreneurial, founding Tonic Industrial Design, which serviced clients such as Nike, Samsung, and Sony.  He pivoted into designing footwear for Nike as Global Creative Director, followed by leading the international team at PUMA for footwear design, development, and product management.  Gavin’s next professional shift brought him to Gibson Guitar as Chief Creative Officer, before joining Under Armour to helm the turnaround of their footwear division.  Following these already impressive endeavors, Gavin co-founded FLO | THINKERY, using his brand and innovation prowess to build and grow businesses.  The next stop on his career roadmap led him to the luxury audio brand Bang & Olufsen, based in Copenhagen, Denmark, to update their distinctive brand story and product design portfolio.

Currently, at Cisco, Gavin leads design for collaboration devices.  Tim Boerkoel recently met with him for a deep dive into his rich and unconventional career journey, a thoughtful discussion on career philosophies, and many valuable nuggets of wisdom for our readers

Ali Wing possesses a dynamic set of personal and professional experiences,  and a never-ending curiosity, that have shaped her into the ideal type of leader to identify customer opportunies in the spaces of consumer technology and sustainability.  Ali gained valuable brand management and strategy experience at Nike, followed by practicing law at Gunderson Dettmer.  She shifted back into consumer products at Runway, LLC. before launching her own digital-first, omnichannel baby product company, giggle.  Later, Ali joined Ascena Retail Group as Chief Marketing Officer and EVP, Digital for Maurice’s, before making yet another ambitious pivot to the healthcare industry as Chief Consumer Officer at Bright Health.  Her newest endeavor as CEO of Oobli (formerly known as Joywell Foods) sees her leading the charge to create more environmentally-conscious, all-natural protein-sweetened treats, combining her passion for consumer products with her desire to make the world a better and healther place to live.  Additionally, Ali serves in Board and Advisorial roles at Casey’s General Stores, Learn to Live, and Loop. 

Tim Boerkoel at The Brownestone Group had the pleasure of speaking with Ali about her career journey.  The discussion will not only provide readers with a thoughtful illustration of her impressive professional shifts and goals, but also an incredibly interesting science lesson.  We’re pleased to present her story as our first Pivot Perfect feature for 2023, which will resonate with anyone who hopes for a sweeter, more sustainable future.

Tom Nolan is Chief Executive Officer of Kendra Scott, the well-known jewelry brand that has captured the hearts of its diverse and loyal customers.  He is focused on oversight and strategy while ensuring the brand’s core pillars of fashion, family, and philanthropy are exemplified in all touch points of the business.  Tom’s earlier experiences working for dynamic clients and companies include Ziff Davis, Condé Nast, and Ralph Lauren.  Later he founded Prospective Brands, LLC as President & Chief Executive Officer of apparel brands Duck Head, Gyde, and Crittenden.  Tom is a Board Member of Kendra Scott, Mizzen + Main, and Tommy John, as well as an investor in Sweetens Cove Golf Club and Spirits businesses.  

Tim Boerkoel at The Brownestone Group had the opportunity to talk with Tom to discover how his range of experiences has prepared him for his current role and how he is able to partner with a mission-driven founder to bring the values to a broad and curious customer base.  We found it compelling that his personal and professional interests have been a perfect match to guide the company to its next phase of growth.