December 12, 2024
Ouray Sportswear’s Parent Firm Names New CEO & Chief Operating Officer
Connor Knutson is the new chief executive at L2 Brands, while Dan Heyden is COO.
Key Takeaways
• C-Suiters: Private equity-backed L2 Brands has appointed Connor Knutson as CEO and Dan Heyden as COO. L2 owns supplier Ouray Sportswear (asi/75402).
• New Role: Former CEO Paige Wingert is transitioning to chair of the board, focusing on product development and strategic initiatives.
L2 Brands, which owns wearables brand/supplier Ouray Sportswear (asi/75402), has new faces in the C-suite.
The private equity-backed manufacturer of custom apparel and headwear that sells to markets that include destination, collegiate, golf and corporate has named Connor Knutson CEO and appointed Dan Heyden chief operating officer.
Connor Knutson and Dan Heyden, L2 Brands
Two Pennsylvania companies – League and Legacy – that have histories going back to the early 1990s merged to form L2 Brands in 2018. Legacy Co-Founder Paige Wingert had been serving as CEO of L2 but is moving into the position of company chair.
“I will continue working part-time as chairman of the board in an advisory role with a focus on product development and assisting Connor with strategic initiatives,” Wingert said in a statement supplied to ASI Media. “I am filled with gratitude for all who have worked with me, believed in me, taught me and laughed with me along the way – especially our customers.”
Knutson’s professional background includes having been CEO of Ouray Sportswear and president of Locale Outdoors. Counselor Top 40 supplier S&S Activewear (asi/84358) sold those apparel brands to L2 in 2023. S&S Activewear had taken ownership of Ouray in 2021 as part of its acquisition of TSC Apparel, which at the time was the 14th-largest supplier in promo.
“Connor’s deep experience, vision and passion for the business make him the ideal leader to guide the company into its next chapter of success,” L2 said in a statement.
Heyden has about 20 years of experience in operations and sales leadership within the apparel industry, executives said. Past roles include being senior vice president of global stock operations for Founder Sport Group, which included supplier Badger Sport and others. A private equity firm bought Founder and Augusta Sportswear (asi/37461) and an integration reportedly followed.
“Dan will focus on streamlining operations, enhancing efficiency and ensuring the highest quality in products and customer experiences as the company expands,” according to L2.
Sentinel Capital Partners, a New York City-headquartered private equity firm, acquired L2 Brands in 2022.
Sentinel focuses on what the firm describes as niche markets in the business services, consumer healthcare services and industrial sectors. The firm says it has raised more than $11.2 billion of capital since its inception in 1995.