Kent, WA-based Sherpa Adventure Gear added new U.S. sales representatives and will also now include a Canadian distributor, Sherpa Adventure Gear Canada, which will be led by Howard Wolfe based in Montreal. Wolfe, who managed sales teams for Royal Robbins, Icebreaker, Kelty, Ibex, Mountain Khakis and Jack Wolfskin, will oversee countrywide sales as well as a British Columbia warehouse and customer service office.
Wolfe and Sherpa CEO Dan Costa have an extensive history and worked together previously when Costa purchased the Royal Robbins brand, where Wolfe held the title of Canadian sales manager.
“I am very excited to work with Dan and the entire Sherpa team because I know that with Dan’s experience and know-how Sherpa will become a significant ‘player’ in the outdoor industry,” stated Wolfe. “Sherpa has been sold in a few Canadian retailers over the past few years, but in reality, it is new to Canada, which excites me and my team.”
New U.S. sales representative Lisa Mansback (Mid-Atlantic region) draws on years of experience in outdoor specialty, snow sports, apparel and footwear distribution. She is also an avid outdoors-woman, lending credence to her professional work. “Her years of experience and knowledge of the industry will be an asset to help the growth and strategy of Sherpa in her territory,” said U.S. Sales Manager Terri Schiel Reade.
Sherpa also added Greg Kaiser of Global Contacts to its Western sales team. Kaiser also provides sales representative services in California, Arizona, Nevada and Hawaii. “With the new relationship with Dan Costa at Innov8 partners, we are confident that Sherpa Adventure Gear is poised for great growth in the coming years,” said Kaiser.
“Sherpa offers great adventure apparel and Greg is in the heart of a territory that embodies adventure,” Reade said. “His territory is one of the only places in the country you can use a warm hand-knitted Sherpa hat on a chilly mountain top in the morning and be hiking in Sherpa Khumbu Shorts on the beach in the afternoon.”
The brand being Sherpa-run – it was founded by Tashi Sherpa in 2003 – means most of the sweaters and hats come directly from Kathmandu, providing year-round jobs and quality working conditions to hundreds of people. Additionally, a percentage of company profits are donated to the Paldorje Education Fund, which provides underprivileged Nepalese children the opportunity to attend school all the way through college.
