'Most Admired' Award Bestowed Upon HanesBrands’ Gerald Evans
Gerald Evans, CEO of HanesBrands, was recently recognized as a most-admired CEO in the Piedmont Triad, N.C., region, awarded the 2020 C-Suite Award from the Triad Business Journal.
Evans has been with HanesBrands in 1983 and took the helm as CEO in 2016. Under his leadership, the company has expanded its geographic footprint; broadened its portfolio of premium brand offerings; and pioneered product, process and supply chain innovation.
Responding to the COVID-19 pandemic, Evans led the company’s effort to help fight the spread of the coronavirus by converting production of apparel to production of more than 450 million washable and reusable face masks. He also led the company’s efforts to fulfill the critical need of the U.S. government for more than 20 million medical gowns distributed to hospitals and healthcare facilities.
“I am truly honored to be recognized with this award, but even more proud to represent HanesBrands’ 60,000-plus employees in North Carolina and around the globe,” Evans said. “What our amazing team has been able to accomplish through the years, even during some of the most challenging circumstances, has never ceased to impress me. That’s why this award is as much theirs as it is mine – and I couldn’t be more grateful.”
Under Evans’ leadership, the company has increased earnings per share, strengthened its balance sheet, generated organic sales growth, increased annual revenue to nearly $7 billion, and generated a record $2.1 billion in cumulative operating cash flow over the past three years. He’s also guided rapid growth of the company’s international commercial operations, overseen the doubling of annual global Champion brand sales to nearly $2 billion, and increased direct-to-consumer sales with 25% of total revenue now occurring online or through brand stores.
Evans will step down as CEO Aug. 3 and will remain as an advisor to the company through 2021. Steve Bratspies, who most recently served as chief merchandising officer at Walmart, will take the role.
Based in Winston-Salem, N.C., HanesBrands is No. 77 on the CGT Top 100 Consumer Goods Companies of 2019 list.