WaterMark will be moving its headquarters to Portland, Oregon during the first quarter of 2005. Sales, marketing, Landsports product management, product development and demand planning will move into the new office during the first quarter of 2005, with finance moving later in the year. Customer service, IT, credit and collections, and account receivables will remain in Arcata.
“Last year, we established an ambitious vision and growth plan for the company,” said Jim Clark, CEO of WaterMark. “During the planning process, it became clear that we needed to relocate some of our operations in order to attract the top talent that is essential to meet our goals. We came to this conclusion after much soul-searching. While Arcata is a beautiful place that has enabled us to live and work close to the outdoor recreation opportunities we all love, there have been a number of key positions that have gone unfilled because of our remote location.”
Clark continued, “Portland is a major transportation hub, offers access to outdoor recreation, and has a larger, more diverse labor pool. In addition, Portland is an excellent fit for our corporate culture. Lastly, the city is home to some of the most respected companies in the outdoor industry.”
The new headquarters will initially accommodate 20,000 square feet of office and product development space, with room for eventual expansion.
“Our retail partners will see very little change in our day to day operations due to this move,” added Clark. “What they will see are more innovative products and services as we bring talented new managers and staff on board to complete the team. Last year, we were able to improve our order fulfillment and deliveries by consolidating our warehousing and delivery services. This relocation is the next critical step in strengthening our company and improving our ability to better serve our retailers and their customers.”
Approximately 70 of Watermarks 147 Arcata-based employees will be moving to the new facilities in Portland in 2005. Approximately sixty-five will be staying in Arcata. Between 10 and15 positions will be eliminated. In most cases, employees whose positions are being eliminated will be offered severance and job counseling services.
Recently, WaterMark announced that all positions relating to the Watersports business team will be relocated to Easley, South Carolina, the companys east coast campus. This business team consists of product line managers, a dedicated marketing professional and the product development group.
