Holden, maker of premium snow and sportswear, appointed Ben Pruess as the company's first CEO. Most recently, Ben was global VP of Adidas Originals where he helped
oversee that division's impressive growth to become a key revenue driver
for the Adidas group.
Effective immediately Ben will oversee Holden's direction and strategic development as well as daily management of the organization.
“We are all very happy to have Ben join us as a leader and a team member of Holden,” says company founder Mikey LeBlanc. “We've been successful at building beautiful and enduring products, but as we grow we need to improve on communicating the brand message and values. Ben will be instrumental in addressing this issue as well as tackling a wide variety of brand initiatives in the coming years.”
Pruess brings over 20 years of professional experience in the sport and street wear business to Holden. Ben's track record is one of positive results, from hard goods to soft goods, across action sport and fashion channels his skill set and leadership has produced some of the markets most impactful product and marketing successes.
For Scott Zergebel, also a Holden founder and its director of design, “Bringing Ben to Holden shows our commitment to turning a great brand into a great business. Ben's experience and thoughtful perspective are a natural fit with Holden's DNA. We are proud to have him on the team it is a very exciting step forward for us.”
“I am truly excited to join Holden: it is a move that reflects the culmination of my personal and professional goals,” says Pruess.
Pruess joins Scott and Mikey at Holden's headquarters in Portland, OR.
Pruess adds, “I look forward to working with my new partners to build upon the foundation that Holden has laid to build a better brand and business. We are all committed to making the best products for the lifestyle we love. The work the team has done in establishing Holden as a leader in the outerwear market is a credit to Mikey and Scott's vision. I am enthusiastic about the steps we will take to help Holden reach the next level.”
