Managing Director | POC North America

Willie became connected with POC in 2007/08 as an athlete when he was a sophomore at The University of New Hampshire while being a key member of UNH’s Division I ski team. During his four years at UNH, he was a three-time Academic All American and a two-time NCAA All American. Willie began his career at POC in 2011 as its marketing director. He has been a key member in evolving POC’s business from a winter focused brand to a year round brand delivering quality safety products to snow-sport and cycling enthusiasts. When Willie is not working, he serves on the boards of the Shane McConkey Foundation, the UNH Skiing Friends and is a volunteer firefighter in the community. Aside from building a healthy business with POC, you can find Willie skiing, biking or coaching.

EDUCATION & DEGREE(S) ACHIEVED: Communications Major, Business Administration Minor, University of New Hampshire

I COULDN’T DO MY JOB WITHOUT: An amazing team, globally. Everyone is driven and wants to do their best to contribute to our mission of saving lives and reducing the consequences of accidents. When the team is driven and cares deeply about what we’re doing, it creates an all-hands-on-deck mentality where everyone contributes whether it’s in their job description or not.

MOST IMPORTANT THING I HAVE LEARNED: Things do not always go as planned. It’s crucial that we stick to our reason for being, our mission and continue to deliver the best product and the best experience to our customers.

BEST ADVICE I WAS GIVEN OR THAT I WOULD GIVE: Surround yourself with people that are excellent at what they do; ask a lot of questions; learn from people that have great experience; do what you love.

BIGGEST CHALLENGE YOU’VE OVERCOME: Building a team that was once optimized solely for snow sports but is now focused on both snow and cycling. We have hired a great percentage of new cycling sales reps, while optimizing the in-house staff in a way that allows us to service both markets.

BIGGEST ACCOMPLISHMENT TO DATE: Building a passionate and energetic team who care deeply about our consumers and POC Brand.

WHAT OR WHO HAS ENABLED YOU TO BECOME SUCCESSFUL: My network of mentors is what I credit most for my recent successes. I have a list of 8 to 10 individuals who I call frequently. I refer to them as my personal board of directors who I can call and consult and bounce ideas off of at anytime. Some of these individuals are amazing at sales, some of them are amazing at accounting and some are very weathered individuals that have built meaningful brands and have sustained great success. I owe a lot to my mentors – they’re the best. And, they know who they are, so thanks!

WHAT YOU WOULD WANT YOUR LEGACY TO BE: Empowering individuals to do what they want to do. And, most importantly, always motivating and inspiring people to do things differently – for the better.

DESCRIBE YOURSELF IN TWO WORDS: Positive and Persistent