Nike Indoor Soccer Shoes

Skechers Has Sole

After seeing the pitfalls that come with being a one-trick pony, I have to commend footwear designer and retailer Skechers (NYSE: SKX) for its success in pursuing a diversified approach to selling shoes.

The one-trick pony I'm referring to is shoe rival K-Swiss (NYSE: KSWS), which is hurting from an over-reliance on its Classic shoe brand. Classic makes up 65% of K-Swiss sales, and U.S. consumers despise the shoe right now. Skechers, on the other hand, is firing on all cylinders; it recently touted the creation of "10 on-target brands," and it's currently enjoying celebrity backing from the likes of Jessica Simpson, JoJo, the Game, and Nas. I have no idea who most of those people are or why the shoes they endorse are selling, but kids want 'em.

Skechers' reach doesn't end there: It also targets men and women in the "active, casual, dress casual and dress footwear" market segments.

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Business People

Hawkins Co. CPAs LLC has named Karen Davis director of quality control. Davis has more than 21 years of related experience. She is the firm's representative to the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants' employee benefit plan audit quality center.

LEGAL SERVICES

Bahe Cook Cantley & Jones PLC in Louisville has named Lawrence Jones II a partner in the firm. Jones is a cum laude graduate of the University of Kentucky College of Law and currently serves on the Louisville Bar Association board of directors.

— Charlie White

Items can be e-mailed to businesspeople@courier-journal.com. Please attach color photos in jpeg format (200 dpi). Photos should be at least 2 inches by 3 inches and bear the person's name.

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nearly new cars

Sporty cars given hard shoulder as car buyers go green

The proportion of people buying cars on environmental grounds has increased three-fold (from 6% to 20%) in the last 12-months – whilst demand for sporty models to impress the neighbours has hit rock bottom, according to research from AA Personal Loans.

The findings suggest that the way new registration cars are marketed is increasingly at odds with what the public actually wants. At a time when car manufacturers continue to push 'drive of your life' performance features and va-va-voom sex appeal, the ultimate driving machine for the majority of Brits is a car that is environmentally friendly and cheap to run.

"Deals on Wheels" is the quarterly tracking study from AA Personal Loans that follows seasonal demand for new and used cars across the UK – and people's reasons for changing cars.

carsales

Wheeling and dealing at auto auctions

If you've been following the automobile auction news lately, you will be aware of some of the incredible prices buyers are often willing to pay for collector cars.

Watching the Barrett-Jackson Auction in Scottsdale, Ariz., in January is seeing only one facet of the market.

A far more accurate pulse can be taken by looking at the entire auction year, especially the Canadian-based RM Auctions, which sell not just muscle cars but the great classics, rare vintage exotics and specialty cars of all eras.

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