Equip Outdoor Technologies Ltd., the parent company of technical outdoor brands Rab and Lowe Alpine, has hired Chris Tennal as U.S. sales manager. Tennal will manage two national sales teams covering the Rab and Lowe Alpine brands and will be based out of the U.S. head office in Louisville, CO.
Chris Tennal is no stranger to outdoor sales although the bulk of his experience lies on the opposite side of the sales table. Born and raised in Colorado on a diet of skiing and mountaineering, Chris has built a career around those activities: from working as the hard goods buyer for Gorsuch, a high-end ski retailer, to his purchase and rebranding of Mountain Outfitters, a Breckenridge-based specialty retailer focused on backcountry skiing and mountain lifestyle. For years Tennal poured his passions and energy into Mountain Outfitters until choosing to sell the shop to new owners in the Fall of 2012.
By joining the Equip team, Tennal will manage eight different rep groups which cover both the Rab and Lowe Alpine brands. He will serve to direct all sales efforts to ensure the continued and sustainable growth of the Rab brand as well as lend his expertise to help reestablish the iconic Lowe Alpine brand in the US market.
Chris brings a wealth of industry experience as well as the unique perspective of the specialty retailer,” said Matt Gowar, CEO of Equip. “Both the Rab and Lowe Alpine brands are focused on building and maintaining meaningful partnerships with specialty retailers and Chris can help guide those relationships. In addition, Chriss familiarity with both the Rab and Lowe Alpine brands will go miles to help communicate the brands strengths in a competitive market place. We are excited to have him on board.
When asked why he decided to join the Equip team, Tennal remarked, Ive been a fan of Equip since first working with Rab 2007 and I have truly valued working with such a dedicated and supportive team and with such innovative product. When an opportunity to assist in the growth of both the Rab and Lowe Alpine brands presented itself I had to jump on it. It was an obvious fit for me.
Rab is easing into its seventh year in the US market and has seen considerable growth in that time. Starting with just a few key retailers, the brand has grown to upwards of 200 doors nationwide and is enjoying the momentum of upward growth. Lowe Alpine, a more recent addition to the Equip family is undergoing a major overhaul with ongoing redevelopment of the backpack line and the upcoming re-launch of apparel.
While the position will put Tennal on the road frequently, he will be based in Louisville, where he will work alongside the marketing, customer service and warehouse distribution teams. He can be reached at 303-749-5525 or at Chris.Tennal@equipuk.com.
