Columbia Sportswear Names Woody Blackford Chief Product Officer, Columbia Brand

Columbia Sportswear Company (Nasdaq:COLM), a global leader in designing, sourcing, marketing, and distributing outdoor, active and everyday lifestyle apparel, footwear, accessories, and equipment products, has hired Woody Blackford as Senior Vice President, Chief Product Officer for the Columbia Brand.

Mr. Blackford is returning to Columbia, where he previously worked for 14 years, culminating in the position of Vice President, Global Design and Innovation. While at Columbia, he invented Omni-Heat, the patented technology used in many of Columbia’s products. He brings several decades of experience in consumer product creation most recently with Canada Goose. Mr. Blackford will coordinate all product aspects of apparel, footwear, accessories, and equipment for the Columbia Brand, helping to bring to market Columbia’s exceptional, ground-breaking patented products.

“We are delighted to welcome Woody back to Columbia,” said Joe Boyle, Executive Vice President and President, Columbia Brand. “Woody’s long track record of creating innovative solutions to protect people in the outdoors will help us continue our growth strategy in years to come.”