Marc J. Terlizzi is a highly accomplished executive, manufacturing strategist, and board leader whose career has been defined by operational excellence, transformational growth, and a relentless commitment to quality. With more than four decades of leadership experience in the footwear and apparel industries, Marc has built a reputation as a trusted executive capable of scaling businesses, modernizing operations, strengthening organizational culture, and driving sustainable profitability across domestic and international markets. Throughout his distinguished tenure with CAPEZIO and Ballet Makers Inc., Marc played an instrumental role in shaping the company into a globally recognized leader in dancewear, footwear, and apparel manufacturing while helping guide the organization through periods of expansion, modernization, and industry evolution.
Marc’s leadership journey began in manufacturing operations, where he learned the business from the ground up while working within a family-owned company. His early exposure to production, sourcing, workflow management, and operational systems gave him an unusually comprehensive understanding of the manufacturing process. Rather than viewing leadership solely from the executive suite, Marc built his career by immersing himself in every aspect of the business, developing firsthand knowledge of how operational decisions affect employees, production output, customer satisfaction, and profitability. This foundation would later become one of the defining strengths of his executive leadership style.
During his time at the Bodiform manufacturing facility, Marc led one of the most significant operational expansions in the company’s history. When he first began overseeing operations, the facility employed approximately 40 people and produced roughly 350,000 units annually. Recognizing opportunities for growth and efficiency, Marc spearheaded a major transformation initiative that doubled the facility size to 18,000 square feet while introducing two large conveyor systems, a preparation line, and a finishing line. Through strategic operational restructuring and workflow optimization, production capacity increased dramatically to over 1 million units annually with a workforce of 100 employees, eventually reaching 1.3 million units with 125 employees. This remarkable growth reflected Marc’s ability to combine operational discipline with visionary leadership while maintaining the company’s high-quality standards.
Marc’s impact extended far beyond production volume. Throughout his 17-year tenure at Bodiform, he consistently embraced technological innovation as a driver of operational efficiency and competitive advantage. He implemented a computerized piece-work payroll system that improved visibility into production performance and labor management while enhancing payroll accuracy. He also introduced digital pattern-making and grading systems that significantly improved material utilization, increased marker efficiency, and reduced waste. These technological advancements modernized the manufacturing process and generated measurable financial returns for the organization. Marc further optimized headcount and productivity by implementing automated spreading systems that streamlined production workflows and strengthened operational scalability.
One of Marc’s most notable achievements came during the consolidation of soft ballet shoe production from New Jersey into the Florida operation. Under his leadership, adjacent space was acquired to support the company’s expanding manufacturing footprint, growing operations to 58,000 square feet with more than 225 employees producing over 2 million units annually. This level of production required exceptional expertise in workforce leadership, logistics coordination, quality assurance, and supply chain management, all while maintaining the craftsmanship and product quality that defined the CAPEZIO brand. Beyond maintaining exceptional quality standards, Marc’s operation consistently achieved strong financial performance by outperforming standard cost targets and generating positive manufacturing variances year after year, contributing significantly to the company’s profitability.
A fourth-generation lineal descendant of CAPEZIO founder Salvatore Capezio—who was his grandfather’s uncle—Marc combined a deep appreciation for the company’s heritage with a forward-thinking approach to operational excellence. His contributions also extended to manufacturing innovation through a vital collaboration between Bodiform and New Generations Computing in the development of piece-work payroll and work-in-process (WIP) management systems. Marc and his team mapped the operational requirements, helped design the program framework, and served as the beta site during the system’s development, helping create solutions that improved manufacturing efficiency and accountability.
Marc’s leadership further extended into philanthropic and industry initiatives through more than a decade of board service with the Capezio Foundation and awards organization. Through its grant making efforts, the Foundation distributed more than $6 million to dance organizations and emerging talent, including approximately $100,000 annually, while also overseeing the selection of recipients for the prestigious Capezio Award, a nationally recognized honor dating back to the early 1950s. In addition to these grants, CAPEZIO provided extensive annual sponsorships to dance companies, schools, and individual dancers through product donations and giveaways, bringing the company’s overall contribution to the dance community significantly higher. Marc also served on the planning committees for CAPEZIO’s landmark 125th Anniversary Awards Celebration in New York City and the 130th Anniversary Celebration in Las Vegas, milestone events traditionally held around April 13 to commemorate the birthday of founder Salvatore Capezio. Through these efforts, he helped preserve and advance the company’s longstanding commitment to excellence, innovation, and support of the global dance community.
As Marc continued advancing through the organization, he assumed increasingly senior leadership roles including Vice President of Manufacturing, Chief Operating Officer, Chief Procurement Officer, Co-Chief Executive Officer, Executive Vice President, and Board Member. In each role, he demonstrated a unique ability to bridge strategic vision with operational execution. As COO, Marc became the first Chief Operating Officer in the company’s history, focusing heavily on changing organizational culture, improving collaboration, and creating accountability across departments. Marc’s leadership responsibilities included oversight of distribution, production planning, warehouse management, and customer service operations. He also successfully led the implementation of SAP in 2007 and established a new product returns quality process, introducing a 100 percent satisfaction guarantee across all products to strengthen customer confidence and enhance the overall customer experience. He introduced SAP and ERP technologies that modernized company operations while implementing quality assurance initiatives that reduced product defects to under one percent. His leadership style emphasized teamwork, transparency, and continuous improvement, enabling employees across all levels of the organization to contribute meaningfully to company success. As former VP of Manufacturing and COO, Marc oversaw the consolidation of operations into a smaller Florida facility, spending nine months planning and optimizing the new space for efficiency while leveraging his operations scaling experience to establish a product development area and smaller sample room that enabled the company to produce five seasonal small runs of fashion leotards each year, stay on trend, and maintain on time delivery.
Marc’s expertise in global sourcing and procurement became particularly valuable as the footwear and apparel industries increasingly shifted toward international manufacturing. As Chief Procurement Officer and later Co-CEO, Marc oversaw all offshore production relationships, contract negotiations, sourcing strategies, and vendor management functions. He successfully negotiated large-scale manufacturing agreements and improved product quality standards while maintaining healthy profit margins in highly competitive markets. His ability to build and maintain strong supplier relationships across Thailand, Europe, and other international regions helped strengthen operational reliability and improve overall business performance. Marc also played a key role in moving portions of production offshore to Thailand, ensuring the company remained cost-competitive while maintaining product quality and operational integrity.
Beyond operations and manufacturing, Marc developed extensive expertise in governance, strategic planning, and organizational leadership. Serving on the Board of Directors for many years, he participated directly in high-level business planning, operational restructuring, and long-term growth initiatives. He worked alongside executive consultants on special projects, including facility consolidations during the COVID-19 pandemic that reduced overhead costs and improved operational efficiency during a highly uncertain economic environment. Marc also contributed to preparatory efforts surrounding the eventual sale of the business, bringing valuable operational insight and strategic guidance to the organization’s leadership team.
Marc has demonstrated exceptional leadership across both business and community service throughout his career. As Co CEO, he led a landmark strategic initiative to transition the company’s iconic pointe shoe production to Thailand through a majority owned partnership that maintained full operational control, successfully balancing innovation with the preservation of a valued brand legacy. Later, as CEO, with oversight of Finance, Manufacturing, Merchandising, Product Development, Human Resources, Legal, Information Technology, and Distribution, he guided the organization to its most profitable year in company history during his first year of leadership. Beyond the corporate arena, Marc serves on the advisory board of his local hospital, where he represents the business community, supports grant initiatives, and advocates for one of New Jersey’s premier healthcare institutions.
Marc’s leadership philosophy has always centered around people, accountability, and culture. Having worked in a family-owned business environment for more than 40 years, he understands the importance of trust, collaboration, and mentorship in building strong organizations. He is widely recognized as a hands-on leader who values relationships and believes successful businesses are built by investing in people. Throughout his career, he developed and mentored management teams, empowered employees to grow professionally, and fostered cultures rooted in accountability, efficiency, and mutual respect. His approachable leadership style, combined with his deep operational knowledge, made him both a respected executive and a trusted advisor across all levels of the business.
In addition to his professional accomplishments, Marc has remained deeply committed to giving back to the community through nonprofit and charitable involvement. He has served in non-paying charitable board roles, including one position he has held for two years, supporting organizations focused on hospitals and community grant programs. In that role, the specific funds allocated toward grants did not exceed $75,000. Over the course of his broader career, Marc helped facilitate charitable giving initiatives totaling more than $6 million. These experiences reinforced his belief that leadership extends beyond business success and includes creating positive impact within the broader community. Marc’s dedication to service reflects both his personal values and his commitment to helping others succeed.
Today, Marc Terlizzi is actively pursuing board and advisory opportunities where he can leverage his extensive operational leadership, governance experience, and manufacturing expertise to support organizations seeking growth, transformation, and strategic guidance. With expertise spanning apparel, footwear, manufacturing, sourcing, procurement, operations, supply chain management, and organizational leadership, Marc brings a rare combination of executive insight and practical experience. His ability to scale operations, lead organizational change, build strong teams, and navigate complex business challenges positions him as a highly valuable advisor and board candidate for companies seeking experienced leadership and long-term strategic vision.
Character:
Marc exemplifies integrity, accountability, and loyalty in every aspect of his leadership approach. He is known for treating employees, partners, and colleagues with respect while fostering environments built on trust and collaboration. His long-standing commitment to charitable initiatives and mentorship reflects a deep belief in giving back and helping others succeed professionally and personally.
Knowledge:
He possesses extensive expertise across footwear, apparel, manufacturing, sourcing, procurement, operations, and executive leadership developed through more than four decades of hands-on experience. His ability to understand both high-level business strategy and detailed operational execution allows him to make informed decisions that drive sustainable growth. He consistently demonstrates the ability to adapt to evolving industry trends, technologies, and global market dynamics while maintaining operational excellence.
Strategic:
Marc has repeatedly demonstrated the ability to scale operations, improve profitability, modernize systems, and lead organizations through periods of significant transformation. His leadership in expanding production capacity, implementing operational technologies, and managing global sourcing initiatives highlights his long-term strategic thinking. He approaches challenges with a solutions-oriented mindset focused on efficiency, growth, and organizational stability.
Communication:
Recognized as a highly collaborative leader and exceptional communicator who values transparency and teamwork. He has successfully led cross-functional teams, negotiated international partnerships, and built strong relationships with employees, vendors, executives, and board members throughout his career. His approachable and people-focused communication style enables him to inspire confidence, align teams around common goals, and foster strong professional relationships across all levels of an organization.
