KNS International
John Gardner has a diverse work experience, starting as a Store Manager at Abundant Brands, LLC (Subway Restaurants) from September 2008 to May 2011. In this role, they managed all aspects of the restaurant, including inventory counts, employee training, food safety, customer service, and expense management.
John then worked as an Accounting Tutor at Utah Valley University from August 2012 to April 2013, providing assistance in the field of accounting.
From April 2013 to August 2013, John was an Inventory Control Associate at an undisclosed company, where they managed daily inventory control tasks and implemented process improvements.
John joined KNS International in August 2013 as a Manager, working on various projects such as systems development, budgeting, forecasting, partner relations, process improvement, data analytics, and risk management. During their time at KNS International, they progressed to the role of Vice President from June 2017 to January 2020, then to Senior Vice President of Product and Planning from January 2020 to March 2023. John currently holds the position of Chief Product Officer at KNS International, where they focus on growing footwear brands using a product-centric, data-driven, ecommerce-first approach, with a team of designers and product developers. The brands they work with include Journee Collection, TAFT, Thomas & Vine, and Vance Co.
John Gardner earned a Bachelor's Degree in Accounting from Utah Valley University, which they completed between 2011 and 2014. Following that, they pursued a Master's Degree in Accounting at the University of Utah - David Eccles School of Business, between 2014 and 2016. In April 2015, they obtained the Certified Management Accountant (CMA) certification from the IMA | Institute of Management Accountants.
KNS International
At KNS International, we build fashionable footwear that complements the lifestyles of our customers. Our in-house designers believe in crafting versatile shoes that fit any occasion and every aspect of the fashion-conscious individual’s lifestyle; transitioning easily from work to weekend, office to out-on-the-town. KNS owns a stable of men’s and women’s footwear brands, including Journee Collection. Over 18 years ago, we were an emerging startup company with a driven founder/CEO, small staff, and big dreams. Today we continue to be driven by our founder/CEO as a leader in the fashion footwear industry with an intense focus on our national retail partnerships. Although we’re an established company, we maintain the pace and vibe of a startup. We value self-starters who aren’t scared to suggest innovative ideas, and we pride ourselves on our adaptability and agility that allows us to keep up and ahead of the changing fashion industry. At KNS, we believe in the philosophy of Attainable Fashion. Each of our footwear brands provide a product offering that is on point with current fashion trends while integrating great quality and value. Our brand is a built from the bottom up by listening to the customers needs and demands before we enter the design stages. We stand by our core values: HARD WORK INTEGRITY PASSION FOR QUALITY AND INNOVATION TEAM COLLABORATION COMMUNITY CONTRIBUTION