Mountain Hardwear appoints interim president
Mountain Hardwear, a wholly owned subsidiary of Columbia Sportswear Company, has named Kirk Richardson interim president until a replacement has been found for co-founder and president, Mike Wallenfels, who has resigned to pursue other professional opportunities.
Mr Richardson, a 30-year industry veteran, has served as general manager of Columbia Sportswear’s footwear division since joining the company in December 2008. Prior to this, he served as president of Keen Footwear, following a 27-year career with Nike where he held various footwear and apparel leadership positions.
Mr Richardson is an avid climber and mountaineer and has been involved in a number of conservation projects to protect the environment for the benefit of other outdoor enthusiasts.
“We’re fortunate to have a proven leader like Kirk to step in and guide Mountain Hardwear during this important transition,” said Tim Boyle, president and CEO of Columbia Sportswear. “We believe the Mountain Hardwear brand has tremendous potential. We will be looking for a proven leader who understands the high performance demands of Mountain Hardwear’s consumers and who can help the brand realise that potential.”
Mike Wallenfels co-founded Mountain Hardwear in 1993 and continued as president of the brand after Columbia purchased the company in 2003. “Mike has been a solid source of leadership and continuity for Mountain Hardwear,” said Boyle. “We appreciate all that he has done in building the Mountain Hardwear brand from its inception and growing the company’s annual revenues to within reach of $100 million. We wish him great success in his future pursuits.”
