Columbia Sportswear Company Announces Upcoming Departure of prAna Brand CEO Scott Kerslake

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- CEO Since 2009 to Accept Leadership Opportunity in Adjacent Industry -

PORTLAND, Ore.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Columbia Sportswear Company (Nasdaq:COLM), a leading innovator in the active outdoor apparel, footwear, accessories, and equipment industries, announced today that Scott Kerslake, CEO of the company’s prAna brand, intends to resign his position, effective August 18, in order to assume another leadership position in an adjacent industry.

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Kerslake joined prAna as CEO in 2009 and engineered a strategy that enabled the brand to grow sales to $100 million in 2014, when Columbia Sportswear Company acquired the brand. Since then, prAna brand sales have grown nearly 50 percent, driven by a team and a culture that turned a promising activewear brand into a leader in lifestyle apparel and accessories centered around a commitment to sustainability, community and doing right.

Tim Boyle, Columbia Sportswear Company’s Chief Executive Officer said, “Scott has led prAna through a tremendous period of growth and created a solid brand platform and a strong team with tremendous potential. In addition, he has been an active member and positive influence within Columbia’s corporate leadership team. All of us at Columbia have benefited from the opportunity to work alongside Scott for the past 3 years and have great confidence that he will also be successful in his next endeavor.”

Outgoing prAna CEO Kerslake stated, “Leading the prAna brand for the past 8 years, becoming a part of Columbia Sportswear Company’s family of brands, and serving as a member of Columbia’s leadership team have all been true highlights of my career. I have great confidence that prAna’s brand promise will continue to resonate with the growing number of conscious consumers around the world, and am proud of prAna’s strong, dedicated team that, every day, personifies and humanizes the prAna brand.

“As the search for my successor is conducted, prAna will be in the capable hands of Chief Financial Officer Mike Pogue and Vice President of Marketing Nancy Dynan, who will assume interim leadership responsibilities at our Carlsbad, CA headquarters, reporting to Doug Morse, Columbia’s Senior Vice President of Emerging Brands & APAC. I wish the prAna team and the entire Columbia Sportswear Company family continued success.”

About Columbia Sportswear Company

Columbia Sportswear Company has assembled a portfolio of brands for active lives, making it a leader in the global active lifestyle apparel, footwear, accessories, and equipment industry. Founded in 1938 in Portland, Oregon, the company's brands are today sold in approximately 90 countries. In addition to the Columbia® brand, Columbia Sportswear Company also owns the Mountain Hardwear®, SOREL®, prAna®, and OutDry® brands. To learn more, please visit the company's websites at www.columbia.com, www.mountainhardwear.com, www.sorel.com, www.prana.com, and www.outdry.com.

Analysts/Investors:
Columbia Sportswear Company
Ron Parham, 503-985-4584
Sr. Director of Investor Relations & Corporate Communications
rparham@columbia.com
or
Media
prAna
Nancy Dynan, 760-566-1070
Vice President of Marketing
ndynan@prAna.com

Source: Columbia Sportswear Company

Released August 7, 2017