R.G. Barry President, CEO bags Entrepreneur of the Year Award

26 Jun '09

3 min read

R.G. Barry Corporation President and Chief Executive Officer Greg Tunney has been named a winner in the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year competition for south central Ohio and Kentucky.

The award is presented to senior-level business leaders who inspire others, have a track record of achievement and continue to build, lead and grow dynamic privately held or publicly traded businesses. Mr. Tunney was selected from among 23 regional finalists and accepted his award Wednesday evening during ceremonies at the Duke Energy Center in Cincinnati.

“It is very humbling to be selected from among such a strong group of business leaders,” Tunney said.

“I have always believed that if you grow your people, they will grow your business, and at R.G. Barry, I am seeing my beliefs become reality. This award recognizes our team's performance and celebrates the significant commitment our company has made to the future through its on-going program of organizational and personal development.

“In a time when many businesses are backing away from investment in people, we are strengthening our culture and building a high performing team whose interactions are seamless, consistent and world class; whose actions are exhilarating to its members; and whose performance generates excellent corporate results. It is incredibly exciting,” he concluded.

“Greg Tunney is a great leader, coach and an ideal choice for the Ernst and Young recognition,” said R.G. Barry Corporation Chairman of the Board Gordon Zacks. “Greg understands the changing retail marketplace and is deeply committed to making R.G. Barry a world-class organization. His leadership is the primary reason that our Company has been among the most-recognized and best-performing publicly- owned footwear and accessories suppliers in North America for the past three years.”

Tunney, 47, joined R.G. Barry in February 2006 as its president and chief operating officer; assumed the additional title of chief executive officer in May 2006; and was named to the Company's board of directors in August of that year. A graduate of Brigham Young University and Harvard University's Executive Management Program, he formerly was president, chief operating officer and a director of Phoenix Footwear Group Inc.; vice president of national sales for Brown Shoe Co.; and a merchandising executive with May Department Store Co. He is a current member of the board of directors and treasurer for the industry trade association, Footwear Distributors and Retailers of America.

Tunney was nominated for the Entrepreneur of the Year award by Smart Business magazine, which featured him in its May 2008 cover story. He also will be considered for the E&Y Entrepreneur of the Year national award, which will be announced Nov. 14.

Other winners announced Wednesday included: Steven Fishman, Big Lots Inc.; Simon Hay, dunnhumby USA; David Schottenstein, Astor and Black Custom Clothiers;Claude Davis, First Financial Bancorp; Gil Delgado, Emergint Technologies; Eugene Cooke III, Cold Jet LLC; Dana Bowers, iPay Technologies LLC; and Dan Baker, Baker Concrete Construction Inc.

Since its founding in 1986, the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year program has recognized more than 7,000 business leaders nationwide. The competition is judged by an independent panel of business and academic leaders and past award recipients.

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