Michael Saunders Named Kellwood CIO; Will Lead Company's Information T

NEW YORK, May 9 /PRNewswire/ -- Michael Saunders has been named chief information officer of Kellwood Company, according to Hal J. Upbin, Kellwood chairman and chief executive officer.

Saunders will provide the leadership and direction for Kellwood's information services and technology; and serve as the Company's principal information technology advisor to corporate and division management.

"We look forward to the positive impact his innovative ideas and vision will have on the Company as we continue to implement our aggressive growth and user support plans for the information technology arena. His broad background and achievements in managing IT and business processes for international manufacturing, wholesale, and retail corporations will be an important asset to Kellwood. Strong IT management is paramount and the underpinning to operating a successful organization today," said Upbin.

Saunders most recently held the post of vice president-business processes and chief information officer for Russ Berrie and Company, where he transformed the company's global IT infrastructure into a world-class architecture to align technology with business operations. Prior to Russ Berrie, he served as vice president and chief information officer of Danskin, and vice president and chief information officer of Jenna Lane Group.

Based in St. Louis, Saunders reports to Upbin.

Kellwood is a $2.5 billion marketer of apparel and consumer soft goods. Kellwood specializes in branded as well as private label products, and markets to all channels of distribution with product specific to a particular channel. Kellwood brands include Phat Farm(R), Baby Phat(R), Sag Harbor(R), Koret(R), Jax(R), David Dart(R), Democracy(R), My Michelle(R), Briggs New York(R), Northern Isles(R), David Brooks(R), Kelty(R), and Sierra Designs(R). Calvin Klein(R), XOXO(R), Liz Claiborne(R) Dresses and Suits, IZOD(R), Claiborne(R) Dress Shirts, Dockers(R), Gerber(R), Slates(R) Bill Burns(R), David Meister(TM), Nautica(R) Dress shirts, and O Oscar, an Oscar de la Renta company, are produced under licensing agreements. For more information, visit http://www.kellwood.com/ .