- Keen Footwear
KEEN Footwear is an American shoe company that was founded in 2003 by
Martin Keen andRory Fuerst . Their shoes are now available in more than a thousand retail locations in the United States, and are distributed worldwide.cite news | url = http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4176/is_20060207/ai_n16046070 | title = Keen Footwear to leave Alameda | date = 2006-02-07 | last = Brevetti | first = Francine | publisher =The Oakland Tribune | accessdate = 2007-10-25 | language = english ]The first KEEN shoes were intended for sailing and other outdoor and water activities. Their signature feature is a thick black bumper meant to protect and cover up the toes. KEEN Footwear now offers shoes for many outdoor activities as well as dressier shoes for casual wear.
KEEN has been a fast-growing company since its inception. The company was named 2003's "Launch of the Year" by the shoe industry's leading trade publication,
'Footwear News' , which also identified it as a hot brand to watch. [cite web | url = http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2004/03/04/these_shoes_are_really_keen/ |title = These shoes are really keen | accessdate=2007-10-26 | author = Glenn Rifkin | date = 2004-03-04 |work = The Boston Globe ] As KEEN has grown, there have been many changes including the addition of a variety of footwear styles to their previous assortment, growing their casual business quickly and adding cold weather footwear as well. And most recently adding a line of bags and socks. In 2004, Martin Keen left the company, but remains an owner. KEEN Footwear relocated in early 2006 fromAlameda, California toPortland, Oregon . At the same time, Kirk Richardson joined the company as its president after a 27-year career in management at nearbyNike, Inc. . [cite web | url = http://www.portlandtribune.net/rethinking/story.php?story_id=115377634007549700 | title = Strength comes in numbers |accessdate = 2007-10-26 | author = Todd Murphy | date = 2006-07-25 |work=The Portland Tribune ]The KEEN Foundation is a
non-profit section of Keen that was established in early 2005, in reaction to the 2004 Asian Tsunami. [cite web | url = http://www.keenfootwear.com/about.aspx | title = Keen Footwear website | format = aspx | language = english | accessdate = 2007-10-25 | date = n.d. ] The purpose of the Foundation is to benefit environmental conservation and outdoor non-profit organizations, such as The Conservation Alliance,Leave No Trace , Big City Mountaineers, and Healing Waters. This has now been renamed to Keen.Care.References
External links
* [http://www.keenfootwear.com Keen Footwear]
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