Columbia Sportswear History

Columbia is a family company, the owner of the company is Gert Boyle’s who is a German that fled Germany to Portland in 1938, due to the rein of the Nazi’s at the time. While at Portland, she purchased a small company and named it Columbia Hat Company, this is the start of what is currently known as Columbia Sportswear Company. At Portland she was able to start fresh from the beginning and attained a new freedom of being able to work her own business. As mentioned Columbia being a family business, later on Gert’s husband took over the company, but later when he died Gert took over the responsibility again. Currently her son Tim Boyle is the president and CEO, of course since it’s a family business it would pass down to the kids.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E4u_VPAMiRY
SBA. "America's Best: Columbia Sportswear." YouTube. YouTube, 16 Mar. 2011. Web. 15 May 2013.