Fleet Feet Appointed Jason Jabaut as President

The specialty running retailer has elevated long-time COO Jason Jabaut to the role of company president.

Updated on Oct. 7, 2026 in People

Isometric editorial illustration showing a large-scale industrial shelving unit with rows of shoes, representing retail logistics infrastructure. — Fleet Feet has promoted former COO Jason Jabaut to president as the company restructures its executive leadership and retail support systems. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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Fleet Feet has promoted Jason Jabaut to president as part of a broader leadership reorganization. The company is restructuring its executive team to better support its network of 294 stores and improve customer engagement.

Why it matters

These leadership changes aim to streamline internal decision-making processes and enhance the support systems for franchise operations. By investing in new roles across digital and data analytics, the company seeks to strengthen its position in the retail market.

Jason Jabaut assumes his new position after 20 years with the brand, while promoted executives Dani Tiltgen and Matt Werder bring nine and 21 years of tenure respectively to the leadership team.

The players

Jason Jabaut

He is the newly appointed president of Fleet Feet who previously served as the company's chief operating officer.

Dani Tiltgen

She was promoted to the position of senior vice president of human resources at the company.

Matt Werder

He was promoted to serve as the senior vice president of retail operations.

Stacey Donley

She is an executive who joined the company in November 2025.

Fleet Feet

This organization is a national specialty running retailer with a franchise network of 294 locations.

The details

The reorganization includes a series of promotions and new hires specifically targeting tech-driven areas such as data analytics, information security, strategy, and customer retention. Jabaut, a former professional runner, will now oversee marketing, digital services, vendor management, and franchise operations.

Jason Jabaut began his role as COO in June 2021.
Stacey Donley joined the company in November 2025.
Jason Jabaut was officially named president on October 7, 2026.

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Market Landscape

This leadership shift reflects a broader trend of specialty retailers pivoting toward tech-integrated business models to compete with larger e-commerce players. The appointment positions the firm to unify its digital and physical operations under a single strategic command structure.

Average customers can expect to see increased focus on digital and data-driven improvements in how they shop at local store locations. The company expects these structural changes to result in more seamless interactions across its retail and digital platforms.

The takeaway

Companies that prioritize long-tenured institutional knowledge while aggressively recruiting for modern data roles often see greater stability during organizational shifts. Investing in unified digital and vendor management strategies is increasingly necessary for retailers with large franchise footprints.