Spyder Active Sports announced Jay McGregor has joined the company as vice president of sales. McGregor has been charged with leading the sales team to double North American sales growth over the next few years.

In an effort to place a uniquely qualified sales leader, Spyder secured a tier-one executive search firm to identify top candidates in the sporting goods industry. After an exhaustive three month screening process, McGregor emerged as Spyder’s first choice.

McGregor holds experience in managing multi-channel sales teams at prestigious brands such as Teva, adidas, Wilson Sporting Goods, Ektelon, and Head Sports. With success in achieving exponential sales increases, he also has a proven track record in opening new markets, effectively controlling inventory, and raising gross margin.

“Jay is an experienced leader who will motivate and support our sales team to achieve our growth objectives,” David Jacobs, president and CEO, said. “He’ll leverage the momentum of the brand and deliver us to the next level.”

McGregor says he was drawn to Spyder during his due diligence research. “Every retailer I talked to spoke about the passion, the credibility of the brand. When you add upon that the performance aspect of the product, the opportunity to be involved with this brand is exciting. There’s something special here,” he said.

Spyder is currently shipping its largest product offering in its 27-year history. The brand will expand product lines while utilizing current distribution channels. Creating efficient sales teams to offer better service to retailers is high priority for McGregor.

In 1978 Spyder revolutionized ski racing with the first padded slalom sweater designed “for racing, by racers”. Today, it is the best selling ski brand in the world. Spyder products are renowned for integration of high-tech fabrication, fashion and function, and are the choice of the US Alpine, Austrian Alpine, and Canadian Alpine and Freestyle World Cup Teams.

Always athlete tested, Spyder products now range from casual sport-lifestyle clothing to outerwear for any outdoor pursuit. Based in Boulder, Colorado, Spyder apparel is distributed in over 50 countries worldwide.