SALT LAKE CITY, Sept. 30, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Clarus Corporation (NASDAQ: CLAR) (“Clarus” and/or the “Company”), a company focused on the outdoor and consumer industries, has created its Performance Sports division to accelerate the development of sport-enhancing products like skincare, supplements, nutrition and other personal health products for performance-driven athletes.
“This newly created Performance Sports division is a strategic focus we made clear with the acquisition of SKINourishment, and the hiring of Taylor reinforces our intentions to compete in skincare and other personal health-related categories,” said John Walbrecht, President of Clarus. “Under this new division, we will seek to develop other skincare products, such as sunscreen, as well as sport-enhancing supplements, nutrition, and other products using natural, organic or alternative ingredients. We believe Clarus is uniquely capable to do so given our global brand ambassador team and distribution footprint, our commitment to innovation and a strong focus on sales and marketing.”
To lead the new division, Clarus appointed consumer brand and marketing industry executive Taylor West as general manager, effective September 30, 2019.
West brings to Clarus over a decade of consumer brand and product marketing experience in various management roles. Most recently, he served as VP of marketing and e-commerce for KT Tape, which provides kinesiology tape and recovery products for pain management and injury-related treatments. While there, he led several strategic pivots across the company’s digital media channels, resulting in significant sales growth from the company’s e-commerce site and Amazon presence.
Prior to KT Tape, West was VP of marketing for Kodiak Cakes, a premium brand of breakfast foods that contain high-quality ingredients. While there, he oversaw the company’s marketing strategy across all channels, along with leading product development. He also previously served in several senior marketing roles for various brands at General Mills.
“Bringing on an experienced brand marketer like Taylor to lead our performance sports business is an important step forward for Clarus,” said John Walbrecht, president of Clarus. “As we look to expand our presence in the skincare market and evaluate growth avenues in related products, his expertise in leading digital marketing campaigns and e-commerce strategies for other strong brands will be an invaluable asset to our team. We remain committed to innovation and delivering customers high-quality, purpose-driven products, and we believe Taylor’s proven background in growing brands directly aligns with our vision for this business going forward.”
West holds an MBA with an emphasis in marketing from Duke University and a BA in economics from Harvard University.
Commenting on his appointment, West stated: “Clarus has built a reputable portfolio focused on ‘Super-Fan Brands’ that clearly resonates with consumers as evident by the significant growth it has experienced over the past several years. The skincare and sport supplement markets are high-growth categories with increasing demand for natural, high-quality products that improve performance. I believe Clarus is well positioned to make significant in-roads in these markets and I look forward to playing a leading role.”
About Clarus Corporation
Clarus Corporation is focused on the outdoor and consumer industries, seeking opportunities to acquire and grow businesses that can generate attractive shareholder returns. The Company has substantial net operating tax loss carryforwards which it is seeking to redeploy to maximize shareholder value. Clarus’ primary business is as a leading developer, manufacturer and distributor of outdoor equipment and lifestyle products focused on the climb, ski, mountain, and sport markets. The Company’s products are principally sold under the Black Diamond®, Sierra®, PIEPS®, and SKINourishment® brand names through specialty and online retailers, distributors and original equipment manufacturers throughout the U.S. and internationally. For additional information, please visit www.claruscorp.com or the brand websites at www.blackdiamondequipment.com, www.sierrabullets.com or www.pieps.com.
Forward-Looking Statements
Please note that in this press release we may use words such as “appears,” “anticipates,” “believes,” “plans,” “expects,” “intends,” “future,” and similar expressions which constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements are made based on our expectations and beliefs concerning future events impacting the Company and therefore involve a number of risks and uncertainties. We caution that forward-looking statements are not guarantees and that actual results could differ materially from those expressed or implied in the forward-looking statements. Potential risks and uncertainties that could cause the actual results of operations or financial condition of the Company to differ materially from those expressed or implied by forward-looking statements in this release include, but are not limited to, the overall level of consumer demand on our products; general economic conditions and other factors affecting consumer confidence, preferences, and behavior; disruption and volatility in the global currency, capital, and credit markets; the financial strength of the Company's customers; the Company's ability to implement its business strategy, the ability of the Company to execute and integrate acquisitions; changes in governmental regulation, legislation or public opinion relating to the manufacture and sale of bullets and ammunition by our Sierra segment, and the possession and use of firearms and ammunition by our customers; the Company’s exposure to product liability or product warranty claims and other loss contingencies; stability of the Company's manufacturing facilities and suppliers; the Company's ability to protect patents, trademarks and other intellectual property rights; any breaches of, or interruptions in, our information systems; fluctuations in the price, availability and quality of raw materials and contracted products as well as foreign currency fluctuations; our ability to utilize our net operating loss carryforwards; changes in tax laws and liabilities, tariffs, legal, regulatory, political and economic risks; and the Company’s ability to declare a dividend. More information on potential factors that could affect the Company's financial results is included from time to time in the Company's public reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, and Current Reports on Form 8-K. All forward-looking statements included in this press release are based upon information available to the Company as of the date of this press release, and speak only as of the date hereof. We assume no obligation to update any forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date of this press release.
Company Contact:
John C. Walbrecht
President
Tel 1-801-993-1344
john.walbrecht@claruscorp.com
or
Aaron J. Kuehne
Chief Administrative Officer and
Chief Financial Officer
Tel 1-801-993-1364
aaron.kuehne@claruscorp.com
Investor Relations:
Gateway Investor Relations
Cody Slach
Tel 1-949-574-3860
CLAR@gatewayir.com