Columbia Ski Jackets
Founded
in 1938, Columbia Sportswear Company® has grown from a small family-owned
hat distributorship to one of the world's largest ski jackets brands and the
leading seller of ski jackets in the United States. Columbia's extensive product
line includes a wide variety of ski jackets, outerwear,rugged footwear and
accessories. Developing innovative products that are functional yet stylish
and offer great value is what we do.
At the head of our company are 78 year-old matriarch Gert Boyle, Chairman of the Board, and her son, Tim Boyle, President and CEO. Columbia's history starts with Gert's parents, Paul and Marie Lamfrom, in 1937 when they fled Germany. They bought a small hat distributorship in Portland, Oregon, and named it Columbia Hat Company, after the river bordering the city. Soon frustrated by poor deliveries from suppliers, the Lamfroms decided to start manufacturing products themselves.
In 1948, Gert married college sweetheart Neal Boyle, who joined the family business and later took the helm of the growing company. When Neal suddenly died of a heart attack in 1970, Gert enlisted help from Tim, then a college senior, and together they led Columbia from near bankruptcy.
After that it wasn't long before business really started to take off. Columbia was one of the first to make ski jackets from waterproof/breathable fabric. Columbia introduced the breakthrough technology called the Columbia Interchange System® where a shell and liner combine for multiple wearing options. In the early 80s, then 60 year-old Gert began her role as "Mother Boyle" in Columbia's successful and popular advertising campaign. And in 1998 the company went public, and Columbia moved into a new era as a world leader in the active outdoor ski jackets industry.
Today, Columbia Sportswear employs more than 1,000 people around the world and distributes and sells products in more than 40 countries and to over 10,600 retailers internationally. You'll find Columbia's flagship store in downtown Portland, Oregon with other retail stores currently in Nagoya, Japan; and two in Sydney, Australia. Columbia Sportswear also has eight outlet stores: two in Portland; and one each in Bend, Oregon; Lincoln City, Oregon; Birch Run, Michigan; Medford, Minnesota; Lancaster, Pennsylvania; and Kenosha, Wisconsin.
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all Columbia Ski Jackets here
Columbia Sportswear Company is one of the world's foremost outerwear brands and the leading seller of ski wear in the United States. Columbia clothing is enjoyed worldwide for their functional, versatility in outdoor activities including hiking, skiing, snowboarding and mountianeering.
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Columbia Clothing information
Founded in 1938, Columbia Sportswear Company has grown from a small family-owned hat distributorship to one of the world's largest outerwear brands and the leading seller of skiwear in the United States. Columbia's extensive product line includes a wide variety of outerwear, ski jackets, rugged footwear and accessories. Developing innovative products that are functional yet stylish and offer great value is what we do.
Additional
Columbia Ski Jackets information
Additional Columbia Ski Jackets information can be found at columbia.com.
