The revamped RVCA team is in place under new wholesale licensee Ethos Brands and includes some well known industry players.
Jonathan “Chili” McCabe is heading up sales for RVCA. SESO file photo.
The brand, owned by Authentic Brands Group, previously sat with Liberated Brands in North America until Authentic pulled the licenses for RVCA, Billabong and Volcom late last year and placed them with new partners. Liberated is currently in the midst of bankruptcy proceedings.
The new RVCA wholesale team includes:
- Mark Tinkess, president: For Tinkess, the return to RVCA is a homecoming. He ran the brand when it was owned by a then-independent Billabong. During his career, Tinkess has also worked as GM of O’Neill Clothing, president of Roark, executive vice president of Billabong, and president of Beach Riot. Tinkess will oversee all aspects of the brand’s operations going forward.
- Jonathan “Chili” McCabe, vice president of sales: It’s also a homecoming for McCabe, who worked in sales for RVCA for 12 years from 2008 to 2020 and has deep relationships with retailers. Most recently he worked as general manager of merchandise for Insomniac Events, according to his LinkedIn profile.
- Jack Toledo, men’s design director: Toledo has held the same role at RVCA for three years and has worked in design at the brand for a total of six years according to his LinkedIn profile. Before that, Toledo worked at other industry brands and companies including La Jolla Group, HippyTree, Sole Technology, and KR3W denim.
- Eunjoo Kim, women’s design director: Kim has worked in design at a variety of industry companies including DC Shoes, Vans, and Brixton, where she spent more than four years. Her last position there was global women’s creative director. She joined Hurley as global creative director for women’s apparel in January 2024, according to Kim’s LinkedIn profile.
- Steve Stratton, marketing director: Stratton is a Volcom veteran, who spent 20 years at the brand working in a variety of roles including director of skateboarding and senior director of global marketing operations. Most recently, he served as senior director of global marketing operations at Liberated Brands, a role he held for three years.
Eunjoo Kim is the new women’s design director of RVCA. File photo courtesy of Brixton.
Inventory, Athletes and Strategy
When it comes to inventory, Summer 2025 will be the first season that the new licensee will be responsible for shipping.
“We have confirmed all summer production purchase orders and are working closely with our vendor partners to ensure on-time delivery,” Tinkess said.
As far as RVCA athletes, the new team has re-signed Barron Mamiya, who just won his second Pipe Pro title in a row, to a multi-year agreement. Beyond that, Tinkess said, “the core team of athletes, artists, and ambassadors remains largely intact with minimal disruption.”
Overall, Ethos Brands plans to “reinforce RVCA as a dynamic, purpose-driven brand that deeply connects with the creative, athletic, and cultural communities that define its DNA,” he said.
Key initiatives include:
- Expanding the women’s offering – increasing focus on product innovation and design.
- Recalibrating men’s product – refining assortments to align with today’s consumer preferences.
- Strengthening the ANP (Artist Network Program) – collaborating with emerging global artists and leveraging these partnerships across products and content to further differentiate the brand.
- Deepening music and art integration – ensuring these elements remain central to RVCA’s identity.
The RVCA team has a new office in Irvine, California, and expects to be fully settled this month.
