Holden Outerwear Makes Hires in Sales and Finance

Holden Outerwear hired Mike Hare as CFO and general counsel while  Colin Madden joins the staff as Holden's vice president of sales. Alex Messmer/MDM Consulting will direct Holden's European distribution.
All three bring intelligence, skill and a wealth of experience in the action sports/outdoor industry.
 
Madden was previously director of sales at Burton and later DC, and most recently vice president of sales at Neff. Starting immediately, he will oversee Holden's domestic and global sales teams.
 
“Hiring Colin is the culmination of an intensive search to find the right fit,” says Holden Co-Founder Mikey LeBlanc. “We recognize that we need to do more than make a great product, we need to deliver it to the right customers on terms that are mutually profitable. We're confident that Colin's skill and experience will let us take this fundamental step.”
 
Alex, formerly with Rusty Europe, Volcom and Vestal Watches Europe, adds over 15 years of experience in the action sports industry. His Biarritz, France-based MDM Consulting will coordinate Holden's European distribution.
 
“Alex's experience building distribution networks in Europe is a critical step to properly managing our European growth,” says LeBlanc.
 
Mike Hare, who officially joined the team in late 2009, previously practiced corporate and securities law at Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft and Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe, both in New York, New York. He has served Holden as its general counsel since 2007.
 
Says Scott Zergebel, Holden co-owner and creative director, “Holden is on the move and to expand properly means putting together the absolute best team we can find. Hiring Mike to run our finance and operations, Colin to direct sales, and Alex to support our European business is a major step towards this goal. The final piece of the puzzle is installing a marketing executive and we hope to make an exciting announcement about this soon.”
 
Holden, based in Portland, OR, makes outerwear for the outdoor/action sports market. Holden is run by its co-founders Mikey LeBlanc and Scott Zergebel.