Rick Helfenbein is a Forbes.com retail contributor, a consultant to the retail and fashion industry, and a Special Advisor to D.C. based
Sorini, Samet & Associates for international trade. He was the former Chairman, President & CEO of the American Apparel & Footwear Association (AAFA), which is the national trade association representing more than 1,000 brands in the apparel, footwear, and accessories industry. Rick holds a BS in Economics from the Wharton Business School and is based in New York City. Mr. Helfenbein has lectured at Wharton, Harvard, Columbia, Cornell and provides retail, trade, and industry commentary on CNBC, CNN, FOX, BBC, NEWSY, and Yahoo Finance - as well as other print media. Mr. Helfenbein is considered a leading expert in the areas of international trade, retail, and manufacturing. He has been credited with numerous achievements in the apparel and supply chain field, including the creation of the original Le Tigre brand, and splitting the Izod brand from Lacoste. He introduced Burlington Industries into the apparel manufacturing segment, turned around two ailing apparel companies, and developed the apparel structure for several global brands. In Washington, DC he was recognized for his leadership with retail and fashion industry initiatives on Capitol Hill.
