Fruit of the Loom names Melissa Burgess-Taylor CEO

Fruit of the Loom, a Berkshire Hathaway Inc unit, said it named Melissa Burgess-Taylor as the chief executive officer and chairman, following the death of Rick Medlin.

Medlin, who had held the top post at the apparel company since 2010, died on Sunday of natural causes, the company said.

"Rick lived and breathed Fruit of the Loom, and he was an inspirational leader to everyone associated with the company,” Warren Buffett, chief executive of Berkshire Hathaway, said in a statement.

Burgess-Taylor, who has been with the company for more than 17 years, is currently senior vice president of brand management and sales for Fruit of the Loom and Vanity Fair Brands.