Bill Dodge , who joined the Company in September 2008 , was most recently General Manager of Patagonia Footwear and has a unique blend of experience in the outdoor footwear and equipment markets , including past management roles at Salomon , Timberland and New Balance . In this new role as Vice President - Product Development , Bill will leverage the resources of the Outdoor Group and its world-class design , development , supplier and industry partnerships to drive market-leading footwear innovation and development for the Merrell , Patagonia Footwear and Chaco brands .