Lawrence Pugh, who accompanied VF Corporation's rise as a leading U.S.-based denim and sportswear company, has passed away at the age of 82. VF Corp is the owner of The North Face, Vans and Timberland along with many other sports, denim and fashion brands. Pugh was appointed president in 1980. He acted as chief xecutive from 1982 until 1995. He was elected chairman three years later. An online obituary states that VF Corp's sales multiplied ten-fold under his tenure. He propelled the company past Levi Strauss in the denim market by adding Wrangler to its Lee brand. This was one of the many acquisitions that pushed VF Corp's sales beyond the $5 billion mark in 1995. Pugh reportedly died of respiratory failure on Dec. 3 in Naples, Florida.

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