Exped USA, a subsidiary of Exped AG in Zurich, Switzerland, has moved its office to Tacoma, WA and made key personnel changes. Growth of the Exped brand worldwide has been brisk, and building strong retailer support is a major goal of the company.
During the month of December 2017, Exped USA moved from Tukwila, just south of Seattle, to the port city of Tacoma, a bit farther down the I-5 corridor.
“We found a great top-floor space in a century-old building right in the heart of downtown” said Josh Espinosa, Exped USA’s director of business development. “We’ve seen consistent growth since we started Exped USA in 2009 and it became obvious that the next few years are going to require more space for each department. And our lunchtime choices just expanded by about 2,000%. Exciting times.”
The new address is:
ExpedUSA
1142 Broadway
Suite 400
Tacoma, WA 98402
866-326-4586
Along with a new town and new office, Exped USA has made key personnel changes:
Ted Steudel has been promoted to president of Exped USA. He will continue to lead the sales team as well as fill the role of primary liaison between the Zurich and Tacoma offices. Ted has a long relationship with Exped in Zurich, dating back to the early 90s, and his familiarity with everything Exped, from the tiniest product detail to his key contacts in the industry, make him the right person to lead Exped USA into the next era of growth.
In 2017, Nick Swan took on the new position of sales coordinator. Swan has been critical in maintaining close rep and retailer relationships and expanding Exped’s regional trade show footprint. He works closely with Steudel in the management of Exped’s growing brand footprint within retailer’s doors.
Joining the team in early February, Kevin Pelto assumes the new role of finance analyst, assisting director of business development Josh Espinosa. Pelto comes to Exped USA after 20 years’ experience in the outdoor industry. His attention to detail and his willingness to dig into the difficult and complex challenges of process make him an ideal addition to the team.
Eric Downing has been promoted to director of marketing. Downing will be Exped USA’s chief marketing strategist and will oversee the wide array of assets and relationships the company relies upon, both internal and external. In addition, Downing will continue his outstanding work in IT, having just completed a year-long overhaul of Exped USA’s IT platform.
As of January 1, Kaj Bune assumed the new position of content and PR manager. Bune will focus his efforts on creating written, photographic and video content and will manage Exped USA’s involvement with key non-profit groups and brand ambassadors. Also, as marketing director emeritus, he will serve as brand advisor and strategic collaborator within the marketing department.
“This has been an exciting time for us, between the office relocation and the personnel changes,” said Steudel. “With the growth of Exped both here and around the world, we wanted to strengthen every part of Exped USA. The process has been invigorating. We’ve found an excellent balance between the needs of the business and the desires of the people working here. I’m convinced that we’ve set ourselves up for success over the next five years and beyond.”
About Exped:
Exped builds expedition equipment for outdoor adventure. Based in Zurich, it is our Swissness that compels us to tinker to perfection and refine every detail, delivering comfort anywhere. Exped assists our customers to thrive, not merely survive, in the outdoors. Exped is based in Zurich, Switzerland with a subsidiary, Exped USA, in Tacoma, WA.
