Sea to Summit USA, distributor of Sea to Summit, the Australian brand of lightweight backpacking and adventure travel gear hired Ryan Secrest to manage inventory and logistics. In this key position, Secrest will direct and coordinate demand planning, forecasting, purchasing, and the flow of product into and out of their Boulder sales and distribution facility.
Despite being regularly mistaken as the host of the T.V. show American Idol, Secrest's real experience is in the outdoor industry, not television. Before joining Sea to Summit USA, he spent eight years at Adventure 16 Retail, one of the leading outdoor specialty retailers in Southern California. Secrest began on the sales floor, became a store manager and ultimately moved to the buying department, spending the last couple of years as their hardgoods buyer. He left Adventure 16 to pursue his dream of sailing the Pacific for a year.
“We got to know Ryan when he was at A-16 and we always appreciated his analytical nature and his understanding of what it takes to be successful in specialty retail. When he left to go sailing, we told him, have a great time and come back safely because we'd like to hire you when you get back', said Sea to Summit president Andrew Dunbar. “We knew he'd be a fantastic addition to our team and his skills are perfect for the strong growth we're projecting.”
