Business people :Teva Appoints New Creative and Marketing Directors

10.02.2012– (Goleta, CA) –  Joel Heath, president of outdoor footwear brand Teva® (a division of Deckers Outdoor Corporation, NASDAQGS: DECK), announced today the appointment of Jonas Brickus as Global Creative Director and the promotion of Erika Brakken to Global Marketing Director. In their new roles, Brickus will lead product design and brand creative while Brakken will lead the brand’s marketing strategy and activation.
Brickus, who brings 22 years of design and brand innovation experience, comes to Teva from IDEO where he led a diverse portfolio of strategic design initiatives for brands such as Converse, Coca-Cola, BMW, Yamaha, Nike, Quiksilver, Polaroid, and others. Prior to IDEO, Brickus was a Managing Director for global innovation consultancies Continuum and HLB.

“Teva is a brand with a truly authentic and distinct heritage in active outdoor life. I couldn’t be more excited about joining this pioneering brand and amazing team,” says Brickus.

At Teva, Brickus will oversee a product and creative team for the shoe brand that includes another addition to the Teva Tribe, Steve Hoskins, Senior Graphic Designer. Hoskins was hired in August 2012 and joins Teva from Nemo Design of Portland, Oregon, where he was the Art Director.

Also on the Teva marketing team, Erika Brakken was promoted from Senior Go-To-Market Manager to Global Marketing Director. Brakken joined Teva in December, 2011 and came with more than 12 years of brand marketing experience with established consumer brands including adidas, Yakima, Vans and Red Bull. Brakken will now oversee all aspects of Teva's marketing, including advertising, digital, retail, PR, events and sports marketing. This team includes another new hire, Seth Pulford as Sports Marketing Manager. Pulford, formally the Global Marketing Manager for Globe, will strengthen and define strategy for Teva’s sponsored athlete roster while engaging with the next generation of Teva enthusiast.

“I am excited about the intellectual power that this consolidated unit will contribute to Teva’s future by influencing the design philosophy and language and reflecting it throughout our marketing.” said Heath. “This will allow the product and marketing teams to focus on their core competencies and elevate the entire brand.”

About Teva
Teva is a global adventure brand dedicated to helping people Live Better Stories. The concept of “adventure” varies, but everyone understands an adrenaline rush and staggering sense of wonderment. These are the life-defining moments that Teva helps to provide. Born on the Colorado River in 1984, Teva’s connection to water is manifested in the products it makes and its support of clean water. In partnership with the Waterkeeper Alliance and Ocean Conservancy, Teva’s “A Pair for a Foot” campaign will clean a linear foot of global waterways for every pair of shoes sold. www.teva.com

Deckers Outdoor Corporation is a premiere lifestyle marketer that builds niche brands into global market leaders by designing and making innovative, functional and fashion-oriented footwear developed for both high performance outdoor activities and everyday casual lifestyle use. UGG® Australia, Teva®, Sanuk®, Tsubo®, Ahnu® and MOZO® are registered trademarks of Deckers Outdoor Corporation. For more information, visit www.deckers.com.

Jaime Eschette / Teva PR Manager / jeschette@deckers.com / 805-967-7611 x1178

Business news :Ibex Opens First West Coast Retail Store in Seattle

 Ibex Outdoor Clothing is heading west to open a brick-and-mortar retail store in Seattle, Washington this November. 

“Opening in Seattleis a natural fit for Ibex,” said John Fernsell, co-founder and CEO of Ibex. “The Pacific Northwest is a strong market for us, which made expansion to Seattle an easy decision. 

Opening its doors in mid November, Ibex’s new 1,250-square-foot retail location will be located just north of downtown Seattle in University Village, an open-air lifestyle shopping center comprising locally-owned boutiques and signature national retailers. The Ibex store will be located at 2627 NE University Village St., directly next to the new Tazo® Tea. 

The new store will showcase Ibex’s fall 2012 collection including Ibex’s new collection of Wool Aire insulated outerwear (made in Vancouver Canada),men’s and women’s lifestyle apparel, Merino wool cycling gear, and wool accessories. The new store will also proudly carry Ibex’s collection of ‘field to factory’ garments sourced and made entirely in the USA – from the wool that comes from Montana to the finished garments that are cut and sewn in California.

The store will have a warm, inviting atmosphere with design elements evocative of the company’s Vermont roots and sustainable ethos. The walls of the store will be made from exposed boards taken from a Vermont barn. Ibex is working with local Seattle company Myer Wells to design the store’s cash wrap with reclaimed steel and a reclaimed wood countertop. 

Ingratiating itself and becoming part of the Seattle community is also a top priority for Ibex. “We are thrilled to be in Seattle and be part of the community of University Village,” said Ibex Seattle store manager Jenny Demetrio. “We look forward to getting involved with local community associations and organizations by participating in local events and by hosting community-building opportunities at the store. In addition, our location right off the Burke Gilman Bike Trail certainly gives us a welcoming link to our community of cyclists in the Pacific Northwest, and we look forward to riding with them too.” 

Ibex’s new retail store complements Ibex’s multi-channel approach of wholesale, web and brick-and-mortar retail. The Vermont-based wool clothing company opened its flagship retail location in Boston in September 2010. 

Ibex Seattle will be open Monday through Saturday from 9:30 am to 9:00 pm, and on Sunday from 11:00 am to 6:00 pm.

Please visit the Ibex social media release site for up-to-date company news, featured products, videos and much more.

About Ibex 

Founded in 1997 and headquartered in White River Junction, VT, Ibex is a designer of year-round Merino wool outdoor clothing and cycling apparel, founded in the belief of the superior natural performance and properties of wool. Ibex couples the natural renewable resource with technical innovation and inspired design to create apparel for a diverse range of outdoor and active pursuits and passions. Men’s and women’s items are divided into Ride, Base, Zing, Peak and Live categories, and are made from the best wool fabrics sustainably sourced from New Zealand, Uruguay, and the United States. All Ibex clothing and accessories are available for purchase online, in catalog and through outdoor specialty stores. For additional information, please visit ibex.com.

Business news :Oil Prices Could Pressure Synthetic Fiber Suppliers

After a year of synthetic fiber prices remaining relatively stable in the midst of a volatile cotton market,  gross margin erosion could become a more significant risk among companies using or producing goods such as nylon and polyester if crude oil prices continue to rise, according to analysts with Great American Group, Inc. 

Great American Group’s latest Textiles and Apparel Monitor notes that after falling from the highs witnessed in 2011, cotton prices have remained flat since July 2012 while the cost of oil has risen 6 percent over the past two months. As synthetic fibers continue to chip away at the dominant market share held by cotton, recent price surges for feedstocks such as paraxylene have a greater impact than ever on the textile industry as a whole, according to Kristi Faherty, managing director for Great American Group’s Advisory & Valuation Services Division.

"A continued increase in crude oil prices could present a challenge for many within the industry,” Faherty said. “The competitive market has made it difficult to pass along price increases to customers, so margin erosion remains a major concern.” While margin compression remains a short-term concern, Great American Group analysts are optimistic for the domestic textiles industry. U.S. profits are on pace to far exceed those achieved in 2011, and with labor costs rising in China, the Far East’s dominance is being challenged in the textile marketplace.

“Improvements to consumer demand and production expenses will help buoy the industry through 2012," Faherty said. “Textile mill output and textile product shipments are likely to remain ahead of 2011, and with cotton prices in check, the industry is far more stable than it was a year ago.”

(  SportsOneSource Media )

Award :New La Sportiva Apparel Wins Outside Gear of the Year Award and Backpacker Editor’s Choice

The La Sportiva Storm Fighter GTX jacket and pants have each earned major editorial awards in their debut season. Outside presented a “Gear of the Year” award to the Storm Fighter GTX jacket while the GTX Pants were honored with a Backpacker 2012 Editors’ Choice Snow Award.“We designed the Storm Fighter system to meet the demands of ski mountaineering, which requires protection from the harshest elements, in the lightest weight package possible,” states Jonathan Lantz, president of La Sportiva North America. “Our friends at GORE helped us deliver on that promise with incredible fabric, making the Storm Fighter combo the pinnacle of our new winter apparel.”

To develop its new apparel collection, La Sportiva continued its long-running partnership with W.L. Gore and Associates. The La Sportiva Storm Fighter jacket features GORE-TEX® Active Shell fabric and the pants are incredibly lightweight and breathable. Weighing in at 11.14 ounces for the jacket and 18.13 ounces for the pants, the combination is one of the lightest, fully waterproof-breathable jacket and pants combinations on the market.

All winners of Backpacker 2012 Editor’s Choice Snow Awards exceled under extensive field-testing conducted by Backpacker’s team of editors, who took hundreds of new products into the backcountry to put them to the test. This rigorous process ensures that the performance of the winners is truly worthy of distinction. The complete list of Backpacker 2012 Editors’ Choice Snow Award winners is included in the magazine’s Fall Gear Guide issue that is on newsstands now.

The testing process for Outside began with over 30 jackets that were tested in the harshest of elements all over the country. From hiking in brutal conditions along the coast of Northern California, to ski mountaineering races in the mountains of Colorado, to winter camping and biking trips, Outside’s lead tester was impressed. When asked why he chose the La Sportiva Storm Fighter GTX jacket as Gear of the Year, he responded, “The Storm Fighter outpaced expectations. Its simple but effective design simply works—it’s light, fits well, and has the features to keep the weather out. It’s comfortable, stylish, and performs well—what more can you ask for in a shell?"

Both pieces are available at specialty retailers for the 2012-2013 winter season in the La Sportiva ski mountaineering apparel collection.

About La Sportiva:
With over 80 years of heritage, La Sportiva has unrivaled experience in building the world’s finest performance mountain footwear. Creating innovation through passion, La Sportiva now offers the most versatile technical climbing, mountaineering, Mountain Running® and hiking shoes on the market as well as ski mountaineering hardware and apparel. For more information on La Sportiva visit www.sportiva.com or visit their Facebook page at: http://www.facebook.com/LaSportiva.   

Cory Lowe / Backbone Media65 North 4th Street - Suite 1 / Carbondale, CO 81623
T: 970.963.4873 x127 / C: 970.376.2911

Business and retail news : Sports Direct to Acquire 60 JJB Stores in UK

Sports Direct International Plc will buy 60 stores of JJB Sports, the rival British retailer that announced Monday it was calling in administrators to liquidate its assets after failing to attracting investors after years of losses.

The purchase will save as many as 1,500 jobs, according to reports by Reuters and The Telegraph, which reported that Sports Direct will pay about £30 million ($48.4mm) for the stores.  Both news outlets attributed the information to sources close to the transaction. JJB Sports reported operating 180 sporting goods stores as of Monday.

Sports Direct is the UK’s leading sports retailer by revenue and operating profit, and the owner of a significant number of world famous sport, fashion and lifestyle brands, including Dunlop, Karrimor and Slazenger.

The company reported group total sales rose 25.3 percent to £519.0m in the quarter ended July 29, 2012, when it opened nine stores including four in Belgium two in Hungary and one each in Slovenia, Portugal and France. As of April 29, the company operated 395 stores in the U.K. mainly under the SportsDirect.com and Field & Trek banners and acquired 67 stores in its Premium Lifestyle Division. 

 

( SportsOneSource Media )

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Business people : PPR ( France ) Appoints Chief Sustainability Officer

PPR appointed of Marie-Claire Daveu as chief sustainability officer and head of international institutional affairs of PPR, and member of the PPR executive committee. Reporting to François-Henri Pinault, PPR CEO and Chairman of the board of directors, Marie-Claire Daveu’s primary role will be to continue the implementation of the PPR sustainable development program through PPR HOME, and to implement the Group’s institutional affairs on a global scale.

Until March 2012 Marie-Claire Daveu occupied the post of Principal private secretary to the French Minister of ecology, sustainable development, transport and housing. She has extensive experience in the field of sustainable development, acquired not only in the course of the many positions she has held in government ministries, but also as head of sustainable development for the Sanofi-Aventis Group.
Jochen Zeitz will be giving up his operational duties within PPR in October, as announced on March 21. He is now a director of PPR and chairman of the board’s sustainable development committee. He will also take part in a sustainability advisory group, reporting to PPR general management. It will bring together outside specialists and in-house experts, with the job of counselling the PPR board of directors and PPR Home.
After embarking on a career as a senior civil servant in the field of agriculture and the environment, Marie-Claire Daveu occupied the post of Technical adviser to the Cabinet of Prime minister Jean-Pierre Raffarin, the Principal private secretary to Serge Lepeltier, Minister of ecology and sustainable development, before joining Sanofi-Aventis Group in 2005 as Head of sustainable development. From 2007 to 2012, Marie-Claire Daveu occupied the post of Principal private secretary to Nathalie Kosciusko-Morizet, first within the Ministry of ecology, then PPS in charge of forecasting and the digital economy, and lastly, within the Ministry of ecology, sustainable development, transport and housing.

Marie-Claire Daveu, 41, is a graduate of the Paris Grignon National Institute of Agronomy (INA PG), the National School of Rural Engineering, Water and Forests (ENGREF) and holder of a DESS (masters) in public administration from the University of Paris Dauphine.

Distributed in more than 120 countries, PPR generated revenues of €12.2 billion in 2011 and had over 47,000 employees at year end. Its sporting goods brands include Puma, Volcom, Cobra, Electric and Tretorn.

( SportsOneSource Media )

Business people : Nathan Hires Two Regional Sales Managers

Nathan has hired Lindsay Cousley and Mike Haky to the role of regional sales managers in key territories for the running accessories brand.

The hirings come as part of a focused sales leadership realignment for Nathan, driven by the brand’s exponential sales growth and product category expansion within the running specialty channel and at all major sporting goods and outdoor stores.

As Western regional sales manager, Cousley will lead and direct all sales efforts in the West Coast, Pacific Northwest, Hawaii, and Alaska, while Haky will do the same for all states in the New England, Middle Atlantic, and Southeastern regions as Eastern Regional sales manager.

“Due to the continued success of Nathan’s products, custom merchandising program, and consumer awareness, we’re in the fortunate position of attracting leaders who want to be a part of a vibrant, authentic, and growing brand,” says Bridgit Lombard, EVP of Nathan. “The addition of Mike and Lindsay to our already stellar sales force will ensure we can continue to support our retailers as we grow by double-digits over last year.”

Cousley arrives at Nathan with an arsenal of sales leadership experience in the outdoor industry from roles with Crumpler, PacSafe, oobe and Bridgedale Socks. He has guided large sales teams to triple-digit sales growth multiple times throughout his career, while managing retailer relationships with hundreds of independent specialty stores as well as key national accounts including REI, Amazon, Apple, and EMS.

Haky brings years of national sales managerial experience to Nathan, in roles with adidas America, Columbia Sportswear, and the Coleman Company, where he drove consistent double-digit growth in both category sales and market share. A skilled and respected sales leader, Haky cultivated profitable and positive relationships with key national accounts including Dick’s Sporting Goods, as well as regularly exceeded sales goals and targets.

Haky and Cousley join Nathan sales team members Donna Williams, Ted Roberto, Rob Noble, Dan Gardner, and Josh Fishbein in driving sales strategy and execution of a growing, essential product line that includes the Fall 2012 launch of No Matter What Gear™ a line of gloves, beanies, headbands, and convertible mitts featuring patentpending LightWave™ LED technology. No Matter What Gear will launch at retail at the beginning of November.

( SportsOneSource Media )

Business news :Finish Line's Earnings Climb in Q2

Finish Line Inc. reported earnings rose 19.4 percent in its second-quarter ended Sept 1, to $25.0 million, or 49 cents a share, and raised its earnings outlook for the year. Q2 comp store sales increased 12.3 percent.

For the thirteen weeks ended September 1, 2012:

• Consolidated net sales, inclusive of Finish Line and The Running Company, increased 16.1 percent to $385.0 million.
• Finish Line comparable store sales increased 12.3 percent on top of an 11.0 percent increase for the same period a year ago.
• Digital comparable sales, which are included in the comparable store sales results, were up 29.6 percent.
• Earnings per diluted share increased 25.6 percent to $0.49.

"We are very pleased with the strength of our second quarter performance," said Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Glenn Lyon. "Our ability to achieve double digit comps in the second quarter, on top of a double digit comp increase in the prior year period illustrates our ability to further expand our leadership position in athletic footwear. Second quarter sales were driven by market share gains in running and basketball as we have been able to capitalize on recent trends in each category enabled by our strong relationships with both vendors and consumers. Importantly, we translated a 16 percent top-line increase into 26 percent earnings growth even as we make the necessary investments in order to successfully execute our omni-channel vision. We move forward with sound strategies in place that we believe will further improve our consumer mindshare, deliver consistent sales and earnings growth, and return increased value to our shareholders."

Balance Sheet

As of September 1, 2012, consolidated merchandise inventories increased 9.0 percent to $250.6 million compared to $229.8 million as of August 27, 2011. For Finish Line, merchandise inventories increased by 6.3 percent.

As of September 1, 2012, the company had no interest-bearing debt and $254.2 million in cash and cash equivalents, compared to $289.6 million a year ago.

Outlook

Based on second quarter results, the company now expects earnings per share for the fiscal year ending March 2, 2013 to increase between 6 to 9 percent over the $1.53 in fiscal 2012, which excludes the 7 cents per share impact from the 53rd week, up from its most recent guidance of 6 to 7 percent growth. This guidance assumes an annual comparable store sales increase of 6 to 8 percent.

The Finish Line, Inc. is a premium retailer of athletic shoes, apparel and accessories. The company has two retail divisions -- Finish Line, which operates 638 Finish Line brand stores in malls across the U.S., and The Running Specialty Group, which operates 19 specialty running shops in seven states and the District of Columbia under The Running Company banner. 

( SportsOneSource Media )

Business News :Black Diamond Completes Acquisition of PIEPS GmbH

Black Diamond, Inc. (NASDAQ: BDE) has successfully completed the acquisition of PIEPS Holding GmbH and its operating subsidiary, PIEPS GmbH (together “PIEPS”), a leading Austrian designer and marketer of avalanche beacons and snow safety products, from the SEIDEL Group, a family-owned group of companies focused on electronics manufacturing.

“PIEPS reinforces our commitment to providing well-engineered products that are rooted in a superior level of personal protection and safety for outdoor athletes,” said Peter Metcalf, president and CEO of Black Diamond. “Along with their product quality and functionality, PIEPS’ intellectual property and electronic manufacturing capabilities support our growing portfolio of technology-centric products. We believe these factors make PIEPS an ideal acquisition for Black Diamond as we advance our position as one of the most respected and leading active outdoor equipment companies in the world.”

Founded in 2006, with roots dating back to 1972, PIEPS is widely recognized as an innovator and technology leader in alpine safety equipment. PIEPS offers a focused range of premium alpine performance products, including avalanche transceivers and probes, shovels, safety equipment, packs, and satellite-based devices for messaging, route tracking, and navigation.

Under the terms of the definitive agreement, Black Diamond acquired PIEPS for €8.0 million or approximately $10.3 million in cash and assumed approximately €2.1 million or $2.7 million in debt. Black Diamond has committed up to an additional estimated €2.3 million or approximately $3.0 million of contingent purchase price upon PIEPS’ achievement of certain sales targets between April 1, 2012 and March 31, 2015, which may be paid at Black Diamond’s discretion in cash, shares of Black Diamond common stock, or a combination of cash and such shares.

PIEPS’ CEO Michael Schober commented: “We believe Black Diamond provides PIEPS the important resources to expand our market and technology leadership position in avalanche transceivers. This includes their operational infrastructure tailored to highly engineered products and global distribution platform. We also expect our technical experience developing and manufacturing electronic devices to present unique synergies to Black Diamond’s existing and planned electronic products. We believe Black Diamond allows us to better serve the market with premium alpine performance products and we are enthusiastic to join forces as one company.

About PIEPS GmbH
PIEPS GmbH (“PIEPS”) is the founder of avalanche transceiver technology, and a market and technology leader with more than 40 years of experience in alpine safety products. PIEPS offers the full range of premium alpine performance products, including avalanche transceivers, avalanche probes, shovels, safety equipment, backpacks and bags, as well as functional sportswear. Headquartered in Lebring, Steiermark, Austria, all PIEPS products are developed and designed internally with state-of-the-art technology and the highest demands on practical functionality. For additional information, please visit www.pieps.com.

About Black Diamond, Inc.Black Diamond, Inc. is a global leader in the design, manufacturing and marketing of innovative active outdoor performance products for climbing, mountaineering, backpacking, skiing, cycling and other outdoor recreation activities for a wide range of year-round use. The Company's principal brands, Black Diamond®, Gregory™ and POC™, are iconic in the active outdoor industry and linked intrinsically with the modern history of these sports. Black Diamond is synonymous with performance, innovation, durability and safety that the outdoor and action sport communities rely on and embrace in their active lifestyle. Headquartered in Salt Lake City at the base of the Wasatch Mountains, the Company's products are created and tested on some of the best alpine peaks, slopes, crags, roads and trails in the world. These close connections to the Black Diamond lifestyle enhance the authenticity of the Company's brands, inspire product innovation and strengthen customer loyalty. The Company's products are sold by leading specialty retailers in the U.S. and 50 countries around the world. For additional information, please visit the Company's websites at www.blackdiamond-inc.com, www.blackdiamondequipment.com, www.gregorypacks.com, or www.pocsports.com.

Business people : Mammut Names Krahenbuhl as Pacific Northwest Territory Manager

Mammut, the Swiss qualityproviders of alpine gear and apparel, has recently appointed Jeff Krahenbuhl as their new Pacific Northwest Territory Manager. Joining the seasoned sales force of the Mammut Sports Group, Krahenbuhl will bring his eight years of outdoor brand sales experience to a rapidly growing sales territory.

Based in Seattle, Washington, Krahenbuhl worked most recently as the principal rep at Elevation Sales, and he has also worked in sales and tech rep roles for K2, Atomic, and Cascade Designs.. 

Reached for comment, Krahenbuhl said,  "I couldn't be happier to be joining the Mammut family.  I've been a Mammut fan for years and have always admired how focused and pure the brand is.  The chance to represent such outstanding products and work with such a solid team is a great opportunity."  

Mammut North American Sales Manger Rand Whitney added, "We are very excited to have Jeff on board. He brings a passion for the brand, years of  experience on the specialty outdoor and snow side of the business, and a service-oriented approach.   As a native of the Pacific Northwest, an avid skier and photographer, Jeff holds a deep-rooted love of the mountains, making him a good fit for our team, and for our retail partners in the region."

In addition to his devotion to the outdoor industry, Krahenbuhl is a dedicated backcountry skier, cyclist and enthusiast of any and all activities on the water. He currently lives in Seattle with his girlfriend Anna.

Krahenbuhl will be joining the Mammut Sports Group staff effective October 1^st 2012, and will be immediately on the road servicing accounts in the territory.

About Mammut
Based in Switzerland, Mammut is a leading manufacturer of all-season alpine gear, apparel, and footwear. 

For more information on all Mammut Sports Group apparel, gear, athletes, and brands, contact Gribbin Loring at 800.451.5127 ext. 113, or log on to: www.mammut.com. For media inquiries, contact Alycia Cavadi at 617.262.5559 or alycia@momentummediapr.com.

Timmy Dow / Momentum Media PR
617.875.5553 / timmy@momentummediapr.com