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  Nick Adcock

The La Jolla Group has hired Quiksilver Amercias CFO Bill Bussiere as president and chief financial officer.

Bill was not part of the recent layoffs, but decided on his own to leave Quiksilver for a new opportunity. He was instrumental in Quiksilver’s purchase of DC Shoes, and brings extensive financial experience to La Jolla.

 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Irvine, CA (January 28, 2009) – The La Jolla Group today announced that it has appointed Bill Bussiere as its President and Chief Financial Officer. Bussiere will report to Toby Bost, Chief Executive Officer, and will be based out of the La Jolla Group offices in Irvine, California. The addition of Bussiere solidifies the La Jolla Group’s commitment to become the leading provider of action sports apparel and to continue to grow its roster of top brands that includes O’Neill Clothing, Lost Clothing, Metal Mulisha Clothing and Rusty Clothing. In his new role Bussiere will be a key component in the day-to-day operations of the Company and will assist with the oversight of the top-level strategic path of the La Jolla Group.

“We are excited to add Bill to the La Jolla executive team,” said Bost. “This is a move to seriously strengthen our executive portfolio. The knowledge Bill has acquired about how to build and sustain a growth company is very valuable to the La Jolla Group. Bill has been on a ride with a company from 150 million to over a billion in sales during his prior work experience. Those experiences both positive and negative will help shape the future of the La Jolla Group’s growth path.”

Bussiere comes to the Company with an extensive resume in the action sports and apparel industries, having served 11 years at Quiksilver in multiple executive capacities, and most recently as the Chief Financial Officer for the Americas. He also has held leading executive roles at DC Shoes as the Global CFO, Pour Le Babe Inc., Apparel Ventures Inc., and Patagonia.

“I’m very excited to be joining the La Jolla Group which has four of the top brands in the industry,” said Bussiere. “The La Jolla Group has developed a strong multi brand business model and the financial future of the company is solid. I look forward to working with Toby and the executive team as we continue to grow each brand to its full potential, while keeping our eyes on the horizon for future opportunities. In this macroeconomic environment, I believe the La Jolla Group is positioned for great achievements.”

About La Jolla Group
La Jolla Group Inc, a privately funded corporation, was formed in 1992 with the acquisition of the O’Neill Clothing USA license from Jack O’Neill and family in Santa Cruz, CA. Based on the successful formula applied to O’Neill Clothing, La Jolla Group has expanded its portfolio by acquiring the licenses for Lost Clothing, Metal Mulisha, and Rusty.

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