Fleet Feet Promoted COO to President
The retailer has reorganized its leadership team to focus on digital, franchise, and store support operations.
Updated on Oct. 7, 2026 in People
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Fleet Feet has appointed long-time COO Jason Jabaut as its new president. The move follows a series of internal promotions and new hires intended to streamline decision-making and enhance support for the brand's network of 294 franchised stores.
Why it matters
By consolidating oversight of marketing, digital, vendor management, and franchise operations under a single leader, Fleet Feet aims to simplify its internal structure. The move highlights the increasing focus on data-driven store support in the fragmented retail fitness segment.
The new president, Jason Jabaut, brings 20 years of tenure at the company to the role. The leadership team update also includes veteran executives like Matt Werder, who has a 21-year tenure at the firm, to support the current 294-store network.
The players
Jason Jabaut
The new president of Fleet Feet who previously served as COO and has 20 years of experience with the retail brand.
Fleet Feet
A national retail company operating a network of 294 stores focused on footwear and fitness equipment.
The details
The reorganization shifts responsibility for digital, vendor, and franchise operations into a unified management stream under Jabaut. Concurrently, the company has bolstered its specialized headcount with new hires in data analytics, information security, strategy, and customer retention. These structural changes seek to modernize how the corporate office supports individual franchises through improved digital and technical integration.
Timeline
June 2021: Jason Jabaut began serving as COO.
November 2025: Stacey Donley joined the company.
October 7, 2026: Jason Jabaut was appointed president.
Market Landscape
This reorganization follows an industry-wide pattern of retail chains consolidating digital and physical operations to compete with direct-to-consumer athletic brands. It reflects a shift toward centralized data and technology management that has become a standard approach for large specialty franchises.
Owners and managers should watch for changes in franchise support programs or technical requirements as the new leadership team implements its strategy. Prioritize evaluating how corporate data and digital tools integrate with your local retail operations in the coming months.
The takeaway
Effective store support requires a unified view of digital and operational performance. Monitor upcoming updates to corporate vendor or digital standards that may necessitate adjustments to your local franchise technology stack.
Further reading
For broader trends in executive moves and leadership shifts, see our coverage on People.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Sgbonline.
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