Northwoods Collective (Northwoods), a full-service consulting, marketing, and creative agency, has appointed RJ Hosking as a key partner in the evolving business of Northwoods Collective. With over two decades of experience in product innovation, two-sided marketplace growth, executive management, and brand transformation, Hosking is said to bring “a wealth of expertise that will strengthen the agency’s strategic direction while enabling the introduction of new services tailored to foster growth for outdoor brands and organizations.”
“Hosking, the former CEO of RareWaters and a strategic leader at Patagonia and Zamp Solar (now Dometic), has built a distinguished career at the intersection of product design and development, business development, and customer experience,” the agency said in a media release. “He has scaled innovative ideas into industry-shaping platforms through marketplace leadership, architecting full-stack direct-to-consumer (DTC) strategies, and leading successful fundraising efforts.”
The agency also noted that Hosking has played an integral role in mergers and acquisitions (M&A) activities, “serving as a strategic lead during acquisitions and as an advisor in identifying investment and exit opportunities.”
“His collaborative, cross-functional leadership style—marked by a bias toward action and a deep focus on customer understanding—positions him as a trusted partner for aligning product vision with brand, marketing, and sales execution, Northwoods said.
“I am excited to contribute to Northwoods Collective; an agency committed to fostering genuine connections between brands and their communities. By leveraging experience in marketplace growth and brand transformation, I aim to enhance our offerings, helping clients achieve clarity, scale, and momentum through customer-centric strategies,” offered Hosking.
Hosking spent 16 years at Patagonia, working in sales, product management and integrity. His last role was as head of product for the fish category, a position he held through December 2020. He was at Zamp Solar/Dometic for two years as director of Product & Experience, and, more recently, served as CEO at RareWaters until January 2025. He is a Board advisor at Yakoda and is a co-founder of The Immersion Company.
“RJ Hosking’s integration into our team represents a significant advancement for Northwoods Collective as we broaden our scope to include more comprehensive strategic and executive support,” said Chet Hervey, managing partner at Northwoods Collective. “His proven ability to connect vision with market execution will empower us to guide our clients through complex growth challenges, ensuring authentic relationships and sustainable success.”
Northwoods Collective is based out of Moscow, ID.
Images courtesy Northwoods Collective
