Leading Executives in Shoe Repair
Justin Bennett
President, SSIA; Market Manager, Justin Blair & Company , Shoe Service Institute of America (SSIA) / Justin Blair & Company
SSIA’s elected President, Bennett represents U.S. shoe repair shops and suppliers and is a 4th‑generation industry figure via wholesaler Justin Blair & Co.
Carolyn Blair
Chief Executive Officer , Cobbler Concierge
Leads one of the first nationwide, tech‑enabled luxury shoe and handbag repair platforms, scaling mail‑in cobbler services from a New York heritage shop to customers across the U.S.
Tobias Crislip
Partner & Master Cobbler , Wyatt & Dad Cobbler Company
Partner and master cobbler known for high‑end rebuilds and custom (re)crafts; serves on SSIA’s board and is a prominent face of the craft online.
Dillon Dardano
Vice President , Dardano’s Shoes & Repair
Fourth‑generation family business executive who helped build one of the country’s largest retail‑plus‑repair operations, keeping an in‑house cobbler team core to the business.
Steve Doudaklian
Owner , Bedo’s Leatherworks
Influential owner‑cobbler whose shop and YouTube channel popularized modern shoe and leather repairs for millions of consumers.
Tom Forbes
Managing Director , The Boot Repair Company (UK/Europe)
Leads a multi‑site repair specialist that services the British Armed Forces and is an authorized repair partner for global brands like Dr. Martens, Red Wing and Birkenstock.
Fabrizio Gamberini
Global Chief Brand Officer & President , Vibram Corporation (North America)
Heads Vibram’s brand and North America business; Vibram soles are the repair industry’s gold‑standard replacement outsoles used by cobblers worldwide.
Carroll Kelly
President & Chief Executive Officer , Austin Shoe Hospital
Long‑time leader of a large, multi‑location Texas repair chain; expanding capacity with a new HQ and repair facility to process thousands of pairs weekly.
Stephen Kelly
Founder & Chief Executive Officer , Cobblers Direct
Co‑founded and leads the online arm of a century‑old cobbler network—now offering national mail‑in shoe, boot, bag repairs and luxury sneaker cleaning at scale.
Ivan Komashinskiy
Secretary, SSIA; Principal, Talaria LLC/Pedag USA , SSIA / Talaria LLC (Pedag USA)
SSIA’s elected Secretary and U.S. industry liaison; supports retailers and repairers through education and supplier coordination.
William Lankston
Managing Director , Timpson Group (UK & Ireland)
Runs day‑to‑day operations at the UK & Ireland’s largest shoe‑repair/key‑cutting chain across 2,000+ locations.
Jim McFarland
Owner & Master Craftsman , McFarland’s Shoe Repair
Fifth‑generation owner known as “America’s Cobbler,” Grand Silver Cup winner and SSIA past president; a leading educator and judge for industry contests.
David Mesquita
Co‑Owner , Leather Spa (NYC)
Co‑owner of New York’s best‑known luxury accessories repair house, trusted by top fashion brands for premium restoration and customization.
Marc Moura
President , AVEL / Saphir Médaille d’Or (France)
Third‑generation leader of AVEL, parent of Saphir—the benchmark shoe‑care brand used by premium cobblers and repair shops globally.
Eric Neuner
Founder, President & CEO , NuShoe, Inc.
Founded NuShoe in 1994 and built North America’s largest mail‑in shoe and boot repair service, with millions of pairs refurbished and major brand programs.
Patrick Nijdam
Owner , The Quick Cobbler (Canada)
Fourth‑generation owner who captured SSIA’s 2023 Grand Silver Cup, making the Nijdams the only father‑son duo to win the industry’s top craftsmanship award.
Joe Rocco
Owner , Jim’s Shoe Repair (NYC)
Third‑generation owner of a New York icon since 1932; his family also helped launch online offshoot Cobbler Concierge to bring high‑end repairs nationwide.
Sir John Timpson
Chairman , Timpson Group (UK & Ireland)
Industry statesman and longtime chair of Timpson who championed people‑first management and grew one of the world’s largest shoe‑repair networks.
Maria Walton
Chief Executive Officer , Mister Minit (Australia, New Zealand, SE Asia)
Appointed CEO in 2023, she leads a 300‑plus‑store repair network across ANZ and Southeast Asia, driving new stores and acquisitions.
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