Sara Irvani, CEO of Okabashi Brands and William Butler, Vice President of Retail Services for Carnival Cruise Lines, have been appointed as Soles4Souls’ newest board members. Soles4Souls is a Nashville-based non-profit that creates sustainable jobs and provides relief through the distribution of shoes and clothing around the world.
Sara is the third generation of Irvanis to run Okabashi Brands, a family owned and operated shoe company in the small town of Buford, Georgia. Since their founding in 1984, Okabashi shoes have garnered a loyal following with over 35 million pairs of shoes sold. Proudly one of the remaining 1% of U.S. manufacturers, the team is focused on sustainability with its proprietary recyclable materials and closed loop processes. Sara earned her Bachelors with High Distinction in Philosophy at the University of Virginia, a Masters of Finance from the University of Cambridge and a MBA from INSEAD.
“Soles4Souls provides much needed relief to those in need and creates opportunity to help micro-entrepreneurs break the cycle of poverty,” Iravni said. “I am honored to deepen our long-standing partnership.”
William Butler currently serves at the Vice President of Retail for Carnival Cruise Line. As the largest cruise line operator in the world, Carnival Cruise Line features 26 vessels positioned in 16 US home ports, Australia, and Europe, serving over five-million guests per year. William is responsible for executing the global fleetwide strategy for retail with management of six retail concessionaire partners and proprietary onboard retail stores. He drives the strategic vision that delivers a retail experience in-line with the broader vacation experience onboard Carnival Cruise Line vessels. Previous to Carnival Cruise Line, William worked for FAO Schwarz and Macy’s Inc. William earned a BS in Business Management from Virginia Tech and is currently pursuing his Executive MBA from Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University.
“I’m thrilled to join the board of Sole4Souls, furthering the organizational mission to create sustainable jobs while providing relief through the distribution of shoes and clothing around the world,” Butler said. “It’s an honor to join this strong organization, and I look forward to working with the leadership team and board colleagues as we disrupt the cycle of poverty one pair of shoes at a time.”
For more information on Soles4Souls’ Board of Directors and a full list of members, go to the Soles4Souls website.
