Columbia Sportswear Co. is an outdoor industry powerhouse. And today, the company announced it added an exec to its team with experience leading athletic footwear behemoths.
Peter Ruppe is now the VP of footwear for the firm’s Columbia label, and will report directly to its president, Joe Boyle.
“Peter Ruppe is a true leader, bringing a unique combination of strategic and tactical thinking,” Boyle said in a statement. “His arrival at Columbia is perfectly timed to help us to meet our expansion goals in the footwear market.”
Ruppe is an athletic industry veteran with more than 20 years of experience, with a résumé boasting stints at Under Armour and Nike. Most recently with Under Armour, the exec spent more than three years as its SVP of footwear. And with Nike, Ruppe started in 1992 as a category marketing director and ended in 2008 as the company’s VP and GM of global equipment, according to his LinkedIn.
“Columbia is ready to take their footwear business to the next level,” Ruppe said in a statement. “I’m excited to lead the team as we head into this important chapter and continue to evolve to meet the needs of our consumers around the world.”
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Aside from its namesake brand, Columbia Sportswear Co. is the parent of top outdoor brands including Mountain Hardwear, Sorel and prAna.
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