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Polartec CEO Andrew J Vecchione Announces He Is Stepping Down

Monday, July 16th, 2012

Andrew J. Vecchione, President and CEO of Polartec, LLC, a leading supplier of performance fabrics sold under the Polartec brand, announced today that he has decided to step aside, effective upon the appointment of his successor. Mr. Vecchione will remain with the company as a senior adviser, board member and equity participant.

“After eight years with Polartec, including the last five at the helm, I’m proud of all that the team here and around the world has accomplished to enhance the Polartec brand and its reputation for innovative products,” said Vecchione. “The company has grown and prospered in the face of dramatic developments and trends affecting the apparel industry. Thanks to our world-class customers, our dedicated and loyal workforce, and a portfolio of industry leading products that continue to enhance the importance of the Polartec brand, I’m comfortable that we’re positioned for continued profitable growth.”

“When I took the reins five years ago, my goal was to put the Company on firm footing and to do so in a way that did justice to the brand and our people. Having accomplished that, this is the right time for me to step aside and make room for the next generation of leadership. I look forward to my new role supporting Polartec and its team and to working closely with the board and my successor to ensure a smooth and uninterrupted transition,” he concluded.

Board member Greg Segall, CEO of Polartec, LLC owner Versa Capital Management, LLC offered, “Under Andy Vecchione’s leadership these last five years, Polartec has achieved historic sales, earnings and customer satisfaction levels, along with market share growth and success in new product innovation. Not only has Andy guided the profitable growth of the company but he has also overseen growth into new markets such as industrial work wear and breathable waterproof with the launch of NeoShell.”

“Our investment in Polartec has been extremely successful, in large measure due to Andy’s efforts with the support of the management team and all Polartec employees worldwide. For this we are extremely grateful and we wish Andy the very best as he moves on to his next big challenge. We appreciate that Andy will continue his association and share the benefits of his years of experience with the company as an advisor and board member.

The company has retained the firm of Korn/Ferry International to conduct the executive search process and anticipates that a new President and CEO will be on board by the end of this year.

www.polartec.com

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‘Moar’ – The Polar Opposite of Performance?

Sunday, July 15th, 2012

I’ve been pretty open about my preference for performance. I’ve also referred to it as quality. Tactical Yellow Visor recently published an article on the phenomenon he calls ‘moar.’ It’s kind of th opposite end of Performance.

The Author of that story is a bit more in tune with the gun culture than I am, and I find the similarities, and differences fascinating. But the Moar concept goes one step further. The Author says that the market ends up distracting the true user community with crap. And, he may be on to something.

Interestingly, his readership is focused on SureFire lights while mine is currently going apeshit over Arc’teryx, yet the issues are the same regardless of commodity. When I wrote, I was thinking far beyond clothing to all items such as lights, armor, hand wear, eye pro, etc. Yet, interestingly many fixated on a single brand in a single commodity.

It’s funny to me that mil guys don’t complain about SureFire yet they may go on and on about Arc’teryx. Why do ou think that is? Well, I’d hazard a guess that it’s because they’re issued SureFire lights. Everybody gets nice flashlights. Everybody gets pretty nice duds too, but folks love complaining about that which they do not have.

So is there something to this concept of Moar? I think it may be as much a function of business as demand. There are still new businesses entering the market, even as the defense budget shrinks. I think some folks missed the boat. What remains to be seen is if the retail market will pick up the slack.

So, Moar, what do you think?

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John Laviolette Joins Arc’teryx LEAF as Product Line Manager

Thursday, July 12th, 2012

Arc’teryx sent us this announcement yesterday evening. Many in industry know Lav from his time in the Canadian Army. This is fantastic news for Lav as well as the LEAF program.

The leader in the design and manufacturing of technically superior tactical outerwear and equipment, Arc’teryx LEAF (Law Enforcement and Armed Forces) is proud to announce the appointment of John Laviolette as Product Line Manager. Laviolette, a twenty-year veteran of the Canadian military, brings his professional experience and skills to Arc’teryx LEAF.

Extensive knowledge and discipline are key elements that John ‘Lav’ Laviolette brings to his new role, having spent thirteen years as a member of CANSOF (Canadian Special Operations Forces).

“We’re very excited to welcome Lav to his new position,” said Michele Griffin, Director of LEAF Business Development. “He brings valuable field experience and an exacting attention to detail. Lav will ensure all current and future LEAF projects achieve their true potential.

As the Product Line Manager, Lav plays a critical role in the evolution of the existing product line and he will work the product development team to anticipate and address emerging LEAF needs.

Passionate and people-oriented, Lav looks forward to mountain biking sessions, skiing and spending time with his family and friends at his new home in Squamish, the “Outdoor Recreation Capital of Canada.”

ARC’TERYX welcomes Lav to the LEAF team.

leaf.arcteryx.com

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Black Diamond Purchases Swedish Protective Gear Manufacturer

Wednesday, July 11th, 2012

According to a recent press release, SLC-based climbing gear maker Black Diamond bought Stockholm-based POC Sweden AB for $44.9 million. Their products is sold in 27 countries worldwide and includes helmets, body armor, goggles, eyewear, gloves and apparel

Last year Black Diamond bought Gregory Mountain Products which, a pack manufacturer which, in the late 90s manufactured SOCOM’s UM-21 pack, popularly known as the Strapmaster 2000 due to its ridiculously long black nylon straps. It’s not a dig on Gregory, they built what the government asked for. Gregory builds a fine pack.

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215 Gear Partners with Source Hydration as New US Stocking Dealer

Wednesday, July 11th, 2012

215 Gear have announced that they are now a Source Hydration dealer.

www.215gear.com

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NEMO Equipment Hires Six New Employees

Wednesday, July 11th, 2012

NEMO Equipment, Inc, a leader in designing innovative tents and backcountry sleep systems, is positioning itself for continued growth in 2012 by adding six new people to the family, five filling new positions. The new posts include Chief Financial Officer, Senior Director of Marketing, Customer Service Manager, Product Coordinator, and Vice President/Chief Product Developer, NEMO Shield. The recently vacant Senior Sales Director position has also been filled.

“NEMO has been fortunate to enjoy significant growth over the past six years and we are on track to increase by another 50-70% in 2012. We hit an inflexion point in 2011 where it was time to bring in additional experienced senior management. Our goal is to keep the product, operational, and marketing components of our business accelerating at the same rate. We had begun to get ahead of ourselves, with the quality and innovation of our products outstripping our ability to get them on shelves and tell the complete story. We’re very proud of the new talent that’s joined NEMO; they’ve already affected some big and meaningful positive changes,” said Cam Brensinger, founder and president.

Earlier this year, NEMO launched two new product lines; sleeping bags and a backcountry washing system. The Helio Pressure Shower, which incorporates the company’s already proven AirSupported Technology, has introduced NEMO to new markets. Not only for backcountry showering, Helio is also well suited for vehicle-based activities, rinsing off post surf or canyoneering, and cleaning gear and pets after a great day on the trail. Coupled with its unique new sleeping bag designs, NEMO will now appeal to a broader customer base.

The new positions have been added and filled over the past seven months, increasing NEMO’s headcount by 26% to 19 people and 6 dogs. To accommodate the growth in people and product, NEMO re-located its headquarters to Dover, NH, where it was able to more than double its space.

An intro to the new members…

Chief Financial Officer, Tina Bourgeois comes to NEMO from Ibex Outdoor Clothing. With a degree in Managerial Accounting from Franklin Pierce University and an MBA in the works, when she’s not studying, she can be found hiking and trail running with her shadow, boxer-lab, Rosie.

Senior Director of Sales, Brent Merriam has both a Bachelor of Arts and a Bachelor of Engineering degree from Dartmouth. He’s been in the outdoor industry for over 10 years, most recently at Novation North America/Kayland USA. An MBA is so close he can almost taste it. Once all the studying is done, he’ll be back on his bike, surf- and snowboard.

Mike Sullivan, Vice President and Chief Product Developer, NEMO Shield™, comes to NEMO with a
BS in Mechanical Engineering and an MBA. He’s worked for Fortune 500 defense companies and has served over 20 years as an officer in the US Army with several combat deployments and in Special Operations units. Lieutenant Colonel Sullivan will be supporting Shield™, the company’s military and law enforcement program. When not at work, Mike can be found competing in triathlons and working down the list of NH 4,000 footers with his daughters.

Senior Director of Marketing, Tiffany Teaford has directed brand and product management for leading outdoor companies for over 10 years, most recently having led Nalgene’s OEM hydration business. At lunchtime, a small number of NEMO staff dares to chase her while she runs the roads training to win her age category in the next local half marathon.

Blake Fowler, Product Coordinator, also comes to NEMO after serving in the US Army as a Captain, with a tour in Afghanistan. Previously, Fowler was an operations program manager, responsible for creating and managing an explosives compliance program as well as tracking program for explosives use. At NEMO, he’ll be in charge of scheduling and tracking product development and streamlining product commercialization processes.

Customer Service Manager Katrina Smith’s love for the outdoors was honed while at college in Downeast Maine studying Human Ecology, the relationships that people share with their environment. Her studies led her to remote islands off the coast of Maine and Washington, travels to Central America, and a whitewater canoeing tour of the East Coast. Katrina found a home at NEMO after working in customer relations in the outdoor retail industry.

www.nemoequipment.com

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2012 SOFIC Proceedings

Wednesday, July 11th, 2012

For those of you that missed the 2012 Special Operations Forces Industry Conference, or, like us, spent the entire time covering the show floor, the briefing slide decks are available for your perusal.

www.dtic.mil/ndia/2012SOFIC/2012SOFIC

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ADS Inc Announces Major Personnel Changes

Tuesday, July 10th, 2012

Nothing shocking in this press release from Virginia Beach-based ADS Inc, but the moves are significant nonetheless. Congratulations to all!

ADS Tactical, Inc., a leading provider of value-added logistics and supply chain solutions specializing in tactical and operational equipment, announced executive management changes today that are designed to strengthen the company’s leadership team.

Jason Wallace has been promoted to Chief Operating Officer replacing Dan Clarkson. Mr. Wallace has served as Vice President of Sales and Marketing for ADS since 2006 and was responsible for managing the entire ADS sales team. Prior to that, Mr. Wallace served as the Vice President of Inside Sales and Vendor Relations and Vice President of Operations.

“Along with attracting world-class talent from outside the company, one of our top priorities is growing the existing ADS leadership team,” said Luke Hillier, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of ADS. “This promotion is well deserved and day-to-day operations will be in good hands with Jason at the helm. Jason has been a key contributor to our success and we look forward to his continued leadership.”

Brant Feldman has also been promoted to Vice President of Sales. Mr. Feldman was our Director of Business Development serving our Navy, Marine and Special Operations customers. Prior to that, Mr. Feldman managed our Navy Sales Team during which he oversaw tremendous growth. Mr. Wallace calls Mr. Feldman, “a smart, tenacious salesman who has been and will continue to be a tremendous asset to both our sales force and ADS as a whole.” “I will be relying on Brant to continue to drive sales and to identify and capture new opportunities for the company going forward,” said Mr. Wallace.

ADS also announced today the hiring of Karan Rai as Director of International and Strategic Business Development, effective July 31, 2012. Mr. Rai will spearhead our international business development strategy and will focus his efforts on reaching new customers and markets around the globe. Mr. Rai comes to ADS from JP Morgan, where he served as a Vice President in the Investment Bank.

“Karan brings energy and experience to our business, and we are thrilled to have him join the team,” said Luke Hillier. “Karan is an incredibly talented executive with broad industry experience. I look to Karan to create solid partnerships internationally and to bring great growth opportunities to ADS.”

ADS further announced today that William A. Roper, Jr., ADS’ President and Principal Financial Officer and a member of ADS’ Board of Directors, is retiring from ADS and will return to his home in La Jolla, California to manage his investments and other business interests.

“I have enjoyed my association with ADS tremendously,” said Mr. Roper. “Luke Hillier, Dan Clarkson, and the entire ADS team have created a powerful company with excellent products and services that assist the men and women in uniform completing their important mission each and every day. During my tenure, we added independent members to our Board of Directors, successfully established a ‘public company’ governance and financial reporting infrastructure, and created a new organizational structure to deal with the challenges and opportunities in the markets that we serve.”

“I want to warmly thank Bill for his commitment to ADS and his contributions to our success, including helping to significantly strengthen our financial reporting and internal controls,” said Luke Hillier. “Bill has gained the respect and appreciation of everyone here at ADS, and while we will miss his day-to-day contributions, we are pleased that he will continue to be a valued member of the ADS extended family.”

Dan Clarkson will replace Mr. Roper as the President of ADS. Mr. Clarkson has been the Chief Operating Officer of ADS since 2002. Mr. Clarkson is a member of the Board of Directors and a shareholder of the company.

Patricia Bohlen, ADS’ Chief Financial Officer since 2004, will assume Mr. Roper’s duties and responsibilities as Principal Financial Officer.

“Pat has been an outstanding leader within the finance organization for many years,” said Luke Hillier. “She has a great understanding of the financial drivers of our business and will continue to develop our financial infrastructure.”

Mr. Hillier will continue as the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of ADS.

Source: PR Newswire

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