Thursday, Jun 28, 2012    Text size: 

HUNTINGTON BEACH, Calif. — After 16 years with the award-winning manufacturer, Julie Stewart of Sportsheets International has been promoted to president.

According to the company, Stewart, will continue to work closely with Sportsheets' top executives and customers, and will continue to oversee the company's sales and marketing, finances and human resources.

Julie joined her brother Tom Stewart, founder and CEO in 1995, and 13 years ago became his business partner and vice president.

 Julie says she enjoys working in the family business and with her husband Ed Hayes, the COO for the company.

Stewart will also continue to manage the company's exponential growth, especially following the recent sales explosion of the Sex & Mischief collection associated with "Fifty Shades” phenomenon.

"I'm grateful every day that I get to work with my brother and my husband as well as our amazing team, great customers and vendors to build something that makes people happy," Stewart said. "Running a small business is exciting, rewarding and challenging, and I'm constantly inspired by Tom, whose visionary, entrepreneurial mind and limitless imagination and generosity are key to the company's success. We have all worked really hard to build Sportsheets into the dynamic and respected company it is ˆ and it's way beyond just Tom and me."

Stewart has done it all at Sportsheets — setting up trade show booths, visiting customers and doing product training, purchasing and product design, and even operating the forklift ("Not a pretty sight," she said). She will continue to balance all of these roles with poise and enthusiasm and with a new level of responsibility that the presidential title will bring, the company says.

"It's an honor to name Julie our president and a delight to know that she'll play an even more integral role in the inner workings of this tight-knit of company," Sportsheets Founder and CEO Tom Stewart said.

Julie Stewart can be reached at julie@sportsheets.com.