Airstream has promoted Mollie Hansen to the newly created post of chief marketing officer and announced that VP of sales Justin Humphreys will serve as the new chief operating officer.
As CMO, Hansen will oversee all brand positioning, including advertising, entertainment, retail marketing, external communications, consumer research, partnerships, licensees and corporate social responsibility.
“Mollie is the consumer whisperer,” said Bob Wheeler, Airstream president and CEO. “She has an unparalleled understanding of consumers’ motivations and the journey they make towards a purchase. She is a student of the customer’s emotional responses during that journey, and how to leverage those feelings to drive action. We are lucky to have her on our team.”
In the seven years since Hansen joined Airstream’s executive team, the RV manufacturer’s weekly unit output has quadrupled, and its online community has grown exponentially.
“It’s a privilege to be entrusted as a steward of the Airstream brand,” said Hansen. “For almost 90 years the name has been synonymous with outdoor adventure and unsurpassed quality. I’m deeply appreciative of this new opportunity to share the Airstream story and lifestyle with people across the generations and around the world.”
Before Airstream, Hansen worked extensively in the athletic footwear and apparel industry. She came to Airstream from Converse, where she was director of retail marketing and merchandising. Before joining Converse, Hansen spent eight-plus years at Adidas Group, rising from director of visual merchandising to head of retail marketing. She started her marketing career at Nike as a merchandising manager.
As COO, Justin Humphreys will oversee sales, service, parts, engineering, production, finance, purchasing and human resources.
“It’s not just an opportunity to serve as Airstream’s COO, it’s also an honor,” said Justin Humphreys. “I look forward to continuing Airstream’s storied history of excellence and doing my part to ensure the company is ready for the next generation of Airstreamers.”
Airstream hit a new sales record in each of Justin’s seven years as Vice President of Sales. In addition, he was responsible for overseeing Parts and Service, which have also grown substantially under his guidance. Justin recently led the successful implementation of the Five Rivet dealer standards program, which is designed to improve the customer ownership experience through Airstream’s dealer network.
“Justin has been integral in all high-level strategic decisions here at Airstream,” said Wheeler. “His new role as COO will enable us to further deepen our almost 90-year commitment of creating the world’s best recreational vehicles for our customers and dealer partners.”