Executive moves: Seemayer joins Affliction

Joe Seemayer starts his new job today as the vice president of sales for MMA brand Affliction.

Previously, Joe was a vice president of sales at DC Shoes, responsible for the specialty and department store channel. He worked at DC for about three years.

Joe said his decision to leave DC had nothing to do with the changes going on there and at parent company Quiksilver.

Instead, it was a personal health decision after a traumatic motorcycle accident in April where he broke 11 ribs, his shoulder, his back and collapsed a lung among other injuries.

He had back surgery in August, and his 60-mile commute each way from his home in downtown Huntington Beach to DC headquarters in Vista was excruciating, he said.

Joe told me Quiksilver and DC stood by him during his extended disability leave – he returned to work about one month ago – which made it very difficult to leave the company because he felt so grateful for their support.

“It was a hard decision,” he said. “It was really a personal thing. I didn’t fight with anybody or anything. I only have the best things to say about Quiksilver and DC and I know good things will be happening there in the future.”

Affliction headquarters are in Seal Beach – about five minutes from Joe’s home.