Vermont Organic Fiber Company has hired veteran outdoor industry entrepreneur Edward (“Ed”) Kiniry as CEO as of Dec. 1, 2008. Kiniry will be responsible for driving the growth of the companys popular O-Wool brand of products made with wool grown and certified to the U.S. Department of Agricultures organic standard. Formerly, he was president of Winterquest, LLC, the parent company of Tubbs and Atlas snowshoes, selling the company to K2 Inc. in 2003. Kiniry is credited with the re-invention of snowshoeing as a $100 million worldwide market.
Matthew Mole will continue as VTOF founder and president, responsible for materials sourcing and developing new products.
“When we reintroduced snowshoeing to the American market it was at the height of the hiking boom. Interest in fitness, the outdoors, and a healthier life style were all evident,” notes Kiniry. “Today, providing products made from organic wool produced in a healthy, humane, and sustainable fashion once again gives the market what is being demanded by todays more conscious consumer.”
Immediately prior to joining VTOF, Kiniry was a board member of the Vermont Sustainable Jobs Fund (appointed by the Governor in 2007). The Fund provides seed funding and technical assistance for economic sectors exemplifying the best practices of sustainable development including renewable energy, forestry and forest products, solid waste and pollution abatement, sustainable agriculture and environmental technology.
Kiniry also worked with several Fortune 500 companies. He was president of a regional business brokerage company, vice-president of international operations at Allied Van Lines, and held several operating positions with Wilson Sporting Goods. He has an MBA from Loyola University in Chicago, IL, and a B.A. in economics from the University of Vermont.
