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HANOVER, PENNSYLVANIA (September 29, 2026) – L2 Brands, a designer, manufacturer and marketer of premium custom-decorated apparel and headwear, announced the appointment of John Fryer as Chief Executive Officer, effective September 28, 2026.
Fryer is a seasoned apparel and licensed products executive with experience leading scaled businesses across activewear, teamwear and the collegiate channels. He most recently served as President of Unrivaled Teamwear, a carve-out from Hanesbrands, and operator of Champion Teamwear, Gear for Sports and Knights Apparel brands. At L2 Brands, Fryer will lead a fully integrated organization spanning commercial, product, supply chain and manufacturing.
Fryer brings extensive leadership experience in the consumer products and apparel industries, with a track record of building brands, driving profitable growth and developing high-performing organizations. In his new role, Fryer will lead L2 Brands as the company continues to expand its position across the collegiate, resort and destination, golf and corporate markets.
L2 Brands is a portfolio company of Sentinel Capital Partners, a private equity firm focused on investing in promising midmarket companies.
“We are thrilled to welcome John to L2 Brands,” said Paige Wingert, Interim Co-CEO and co-founder of Legacy Headwear. “Throughout this process, we were looking for a leader who understood what makes L2 special — our people, our brands, our customers and the culture that has been built over more than three decades. John brings the leadership experience, energy and values that we believe make him the right person to lead L2 into its next chapter. I am excited about what lies ahead for the company and our team.”
Evan Toporek, Interim Co-CEO, added, “L2 has tremendous momentum and significant opportunities for continued growth. John’s experience building and leading consumer businesses, combined with his focus on customers, brands and operational execution, stood out to us. Just as importantly, he appreciates the entrepreneurial culture and customer-first mindset that have been central to L2’s success. We believe John is exceptionally well suited to build on the strong foundation already in place and help L2 realize its full potential.”
Fryer joins L2 at an important point in the company’s evolution. Over the past several years, L2 Brands has expanded its portfolio and capabilities while maintaining its commitment to premium products, differentiated design and decoration, outstanding customer service and a highly responsive supply chain. Today, the company serves customers through its League, Legacy, Ouray, Locale, and newly acquired Wild Tribute brands, with a growing presence across multiple end markets.
“I am honored and excited to join L2 Brands,” Fryer said. “L2 has built an outstanding reputation based on great brands, exceptional products, deep customer relationships and, importantly, a talented and passionate team. I have tremendous respect for what L2 has accomplished and see an enormous opportunity to build on that foundation.
“I look forward to spending time with our employees, customers and partners, learning from them and working together to write the next chapter of L2’s growth.”
Wingert and Toporek have served as Interim Co-CEOs during the company’s leadership transition and will work closely with Fryer to ensure a seamless transition before returning to their positions on the company’s Board of Directors.
L2 Brands is a supporter of NSGA.
