Cherokee Names New Board Members

Cherokee Inc. has named two retail industry executives to its board of directors, the Sherman Oaks brand management firm announced on Tuesday. Carol Baiocchi, previously senior vice president of footwear at Kohl’s Corp., and Susan Engel, former chief executive of e-commerce retailer Portero Luxury, will assume positions on the board immediately. The appointments coincide with the departure of long-time board member Timothy Ewing, who stepped down on Feb. 20 after representing Cherokee shareholders for nearly two decades. “Ms. Baiocchi’s track record of successfully growing consumer products and retail businesses and Ms. Engel’s private label and brand development expertise will prove invaluable (to Cherokee),” Chairman Jess Ravich said in a prepared statement. “We would like to thank Tim Ewing for his years of service on our board of directors.” Baiocchi has more than 20 years of experience in brand merchandising and product creation. Prior to joining Kohl’s in 2009, she was vice president and divisional merchandise manager of women’s footwear for the western U.S. division of Macy’s Inc. She serves as director of Two Ten Footwear Foundation, a nonprofit organization that provides financial and social support to members of the footwear industry. Engel has served on the boards of nine public and private companies, including her current post as an independent director at Wells Fargo & Co. She retired from her post at Portero in 2013 after securing its sale to Circa Inc. Engel was previously chief executive of collectable manufacturer Lenox Corp., where she spearheaded strategic acquisitions and line extension initiatives. Cherokee stock (CHKE) fell 10 cents, or about 1 percent, on Tuesday to close at $9.20 on the Nasdaq.