Outdoor Industries Women’s Coalition, with the support of Timberland Outdoor Performance, announced the winner of the 2007 First Ascent Award for the outdoor industry. Congratulations to Tsedo Sherpa of Sherpa Adventure Gear. OIWC has served women in the outdoor industries by providing networking, education and mentoring opportunities. In 2005, OIWC created the First Ascent Award, which recognizes a woman new to the industry who demonstrates strong potential for leadership.

Timberland supported the award in 2006, and stepped up again in 2007 to help honor these outstanding young women in the outdoor industry. “It is imperative for the health and vitality of our Outdoor Industry that we recognize and promote individuals who possess a passion for the outdoors and potential for career advancement, especially with programs which nurture and promote leadership paths for women. Timberland is proud to partner with the OIWC by supporting the First Ascent Award,” said Jay Steere, Global VP, Timberland Outdoor Performance.

Tsedo Sherpa, the winner of the 2007 First Ascent Award, graduated from University of Washington in 2005 with a degree in International Communications, and immediately began working at her father’s business, Sherpa Adventure Gear. While new to the business side of the outdoor industry, she is far from new to the industry itself: as a child, Tsedo remembers helping pack boxes in the warehouse, voting for colors for the upcoming seasons, and she attended her first Outdoor Retailer while in college.

As the Vice President at Sherpa Adventure Gear, Tsedo leapt into her position with the prowess of a seasoned veteran. In just one and half years, she picked up skills in each area of running the day-to-day operations of not only their US based 10-employee business but also their 40 person sampling and merchandising team in Nepal where everything begins. Her responsibilities include product development, merchandising, marketing, and sales.

In her nomination, Tsedo is praised as having the skills necessary to someday run her own company and be a frontrunner in the designing and selling of technical outdoor clothing for trekking and climbing.

As the winner of the First Ascent Award, Tsedo receives a scholarship to the Strozzi Institute for Leadership Training.

The official award ceremony will be held Friday, August 10 during the OIWC Gathering. The Gathering is at Abravanel Hall, 123 West South Temple, from 6-9pm, and the award presentation is scheduled for 7pm.