Columbia Sportswear appoint Mark Koppes as GM for Men's Apparel

26 Jul '05

2 min read

Global leader in active outdoor apparel and footwear Columbia Sportswear Company global leader in the active outdoor apparel and footwear industries, today announced the appointment of Mark Koppes as General Merchandise Manager Men's Apparel. This newly created position is part of a corporate apparel initiative that has expanded the segment to be gender driven instead of product category focused. This shift will strengthen the focus on product development and merchandising as well as maximize merchandising and design resources to provide synergistic opportunities between product categories.

Koppes will play the key role in the general management and global leadership for the men's apparel division that includes developing and executing the brand's global, strategic merchandising plan; managing the men's merchandising strategy from prototype concepts through delivery of final product lines; and managing product interactions with key retail channels. He joins the company in August and will report to Mark Sandquist, Vice President Apparel and Equipment.

Koppes joins Columbia after a long career at Nike, Inc. During his 16-year tenure, he held positions including Product Line Manager, Apparel Merchandise Manager, Marketing Director, Apparel Business Director, Global Merchandise Director and Men's Apparel General Manager in corporate and international locations.

"I am very pleased with Mark's decision to join us. He brings great industry insight and experience to the Columbia team," said Tim Boyle, President and CEO of Columbia Sportswear. "His appointment is a good fit with our apparel vision and his proven management leadership, creativity, and strategic thinking are all enhanced by his passion for our industry."

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