Beverly, MA – CRAFT Sportswear North America (www.craftsports.us) announces the hiring of Katie Gould Swenson as its Sales & Marketing Manager for Craft Base Layers & Nordic Skiing.
As part of this newly created position, Swenson will be responsible for creating an in-store merchandising solution, improving educational tools for retailer sales staff, launching a new Nordic Custom program, and refining a collection that is more geared toward a North American market.
Swenson joins CRAFT with more than a dozen years of professional experience in the outdoor industry, including leadership positions with Salomon and Swix. Most recently, she worked as the national sales manager at Tecnica Outdoor.
As a student, Gould skied competitively for Bates College and then went on to coach for programs at the Ford Sayer Ski Clinic, the National Sports Foundation, and Dartmouth College. She spent four years as the U.S. Nordic Team Manager.
“CRAFT is the perfect fit for me. It targets my three favorite sports: Nordic skiing, running, and cycling,” says Swenson. “I was already a user and a believer in the products, so that made it a no-brainer. To be involved in selling products that I can honestly back and that I’m passionate about – that’s a solid combination.”
Huub Valkenburg, CEO of CRAFT Sportswear North America, says Swenson will advance the company’s focus on base layer integration into other categories.
“Katie comes to us with a wealth of experience. She has fresh ideas and intimate knowledge of the marketplace,” Valkenburg says. “This function will be pivotal in helping us drive growth across our core categories and solidify our base layers franchise.”
About CRAFT: CRAFT is the pioneer of functional apparel for serious athletes. Since 1977 CRAFT has devoted itself to developing innovative clothing built to withstand extreme weather in all conditions. CRAFT works closely with its many sponsored athletes and national teams, and focuses on designing the highest performance gear. The brand’s foundation is its authentic understanding and love for the sporting culture, reflected in its strong involvement in cross-country skiing, biking, running and alpine skiing. Constantly working on optimizing construction technologies and innovative materials, CRAFT Sportswear is the ideal training and competition gear for all activities year-round. For more information on Craft in North America, visitwww.craftsports.us.
