Smith, the maker of eyewear, goggles and helmets, has appointed Ben “Benny” Cruickshank as sport channel communications manager and a new West Coast sales manager for its Sports/Outdoor Lifestyle channel.
Cruikshank, picutred to the right, received his degree in Merchandising Management/Fashion Merchandising from Michigan State University before a passion for mountain biking, road cycling and skiing, lured the Michigan-native to Boulder, CO to explore mountain lifestyle.
Soon followed nearly 7 years in Chicago, working as the event and promotions manager for SRAM and later as communications manager for the Avid brand. In 2012, Cruickshank relocated to California to represent Bell Helmets as the brand manager before joining TRUE Communications as PR account manager for Yeti Cycles, Giro Sport Design, Spinlister and others.
Based at Smith’s Brand Franchise Organization in Portland, Oregon, Cruickshank reports operationally to Johan Andgren, brand director for Smith, and functionally to Antonella Leoni, head communication, media and PR for Safilo.
Outside of work, Cruickshank can be found riding bikes, skiing powder, dialing in his ’74 Chevy C10 and enjoying his new home in Portland and around the Pacific Northwest. He can be reached at .
Smith named Tim Weisser as West Coast sales manager for its Sports/Outdoor Lifestyle Channel.
Originally from Colorado, Weisser has deep roots in the snow and outdoor markets across the country. After opening the first snowboard ship in Juneau, Alaska in the early 1990s, he went on to work as product manager for Nitro Snowboards for 8 years. Since 2004, Weisser has held various regional and national sales management positions at Dakine.
Based in Hood River, OR, Weisser reports directly to Kevin Hyland, North American Sports/Outdoor lifestyle channel director. Outside the office, Weisser can be found exploring his passions for photography, surfing, snowboarding, and biking. He can be reached at tim.weisser@smithoptics.com.
Smith is part of Safilo Group, a vertically integrated Italian eyewear company that markets its products in more than 130 countries through 30 owned subsidiaries and exclusive distributors in key markets in North and Latin America, Europe, Middle East and Africa, and Asia Pacific and China. Safilo’s portfolio encompasses proprietary brands Carrera, Polaroid, Smith Optics, Safilo and Oxydo and more than two dozen fashion eyewear brands including Dior, Gucci, Kate Spade and Saks Fifth Avenue. Safiilo, which is listed on the Italian Stock Exchange, reported net revenues of more than €1.1 billion in its most recent fiscal year.
