Bourbon, MO – Imperial, a CPC company, a market leader in the design, marketing, manufacturing, and distribution of headwear and apparel has appointed Jane Smith as Vice President of Marketing, effective January 5, 2026.
Imperial owns and operates multiple brands and companies, including Imperial, Pukka®, Winston Collection and the Peter Millar Licensing Company. These brands serve a diverse range of markets, including direct-to-consumer (DTC), golf, corporate, destination leisure, team dealer, and supply chain channels.
Smith brings more than 25 years of global marketing leadership across digital transformation, omni-channel strategy, and brand growth. She joins Imperial from Wolverine Worldwide, where she most recently served as Vice President of Marketing & Digital Media for Merrell and Chaco, leading global marketing and growth strategy for an $870M+ brand portfolio.
In her role at Wolverine Worldwide, Smith managed a $35M+ media budget, oversaw lifecycle marketing and consumer journey optimization, and partnered closely with executive leadership to drive long-term growth. Her leadership contributed to meaningful gains in revenue, customer lifetime value, and digital performance across global markets.
Prior to Wolverine Worldwide, Smith held senior marketing roles at Merrell and Cat Footwear, where she led integrated global campaigns, digital transformation initiatives, and e-commerce growth strategies. Earlier in her career, she built and scaled digital practices for international clients including Dell, Microsoft, and Oracle, and served as Global Marketing Director for WorldWide Retail Exchange, managing brand strategy across Europe and the United States.
“Jane brings the strategic rigor, digital expertise, and brand leadership that align perfectly with Imperial’s growth priorities,” said Jeremy Davis, CEO at Imperial. “Her experience scaling global brands will be instrumental as we continue to expand our market presence and elevate the Imperial brand.”
At Imperial, Smith will lead global marketing strategy with a focus on brand positioning, digital acceleration, and consumer engagement as the company continues to grow across golf, lifestyle, and corporate channels.
About Imperial
Founded in 1916, Imperial is a CPC company with expertise in design, marketing, manufacturing, and distribution. Imperial owns and operates several brands and companies, including Imperial, Pukka®, and the Peter Millar Licensing Company. Imperial is a consumer apparel brand that sells its products into several markets, including the direct-to-consumer (DTC), golf, corporate, and supply chain channels. Customers include the U.S. Open, PGA Championship, Open Championship, Ryder Cup, Presidents Cup, and Solheim Cup. Imperial also has manufacturing and licensing relationships with Nike, Peter Millar, Tommy Hilfiger, Vans, Adidas and many other global brands.
Imperial products can be found at all Top 100 and over 75% of the Top 400 golf courses in the United States and has been voted the #1 headwear brand for private and resort golf facilities for eight consecutive years by the Association of Golf Merchandisers (AGM) and reported as the “#1 headwear brand in the combined on and off course retail golf channels” by Golf Datatech.
Imperial supports the Imperial Foundation, a philanthropic organization dedicated to fostering the growth and vitality of sports—especially golf—and enhancing the well-being of communities it serves.
CPC, Imperial’s parent company, is a Kansas City-based investment holding firm focused on a long-term strategy to buy, build, and hold™ great companies.
For further information please visit Imperial1916.com.
Follow Imperial on LinkedIn at @imperial-headwear or Instagram at @ImperialHats.