Christy Sports, a mainstay outdoor retailer and service provider, has added three new members to its executive leadership team as it continues to expand its retail footprint in the western United States, according to a prepared statement.
Industry veterans Pete LaBore joins as chief executive officer, Danielle Quatrochi as chief marketing officer and Mimi Nuelle as chief merchandising officer.
“We are thrilled to have Pete, Danielle and Mimi join the Christy Sports team,” says Dan Galpern, a partner at TZP Group, an investor in Christy Sports. “Pete’s vision, passion for building customer experience and collaborative team culture made him the perfect choice as the new CEO. We look forward to working with Pete and the new team to continue building upon the almost 65 years of getting our customers outside and on the mountain.”
LaBore replaces former CEO Matt Gold, who had been in his job since February 2017. Gold left Christy Sports in April after he and the board of directors mutually agreed to part ways, according to OutdoorRetailer.com.
Christy Sports was founded in Colorado in 1958 and currently has more than 60 locations in Colorado, Utah, New Mexico, Washington and Montana.
During the spring and summer seasons, Christy Sports operates outdoor businesses centered on patio furniture, hiking, cycling, watersports and tennis.
Patio showrooms are located within some of its stores, with three patio stores open year-round. In 12 stores, the patio departments are open only during patio season, and the floor space is given over to winter products during the winter.
OutdoorRetailer.com reports that Christy Sports is expanding its retail footprint, even during a time of challenges in the outdoor industry. Plans are to open several new stores in Big Sky, Montana, and Telluride and Aspen, Colorado. All are properties vacated after Vail Resorts closed 19 stores in the state.
Galpern says that as a seasoned leader, LaBore has a history of guiding companies through transformative periods, fostering innovation and creating value for customers, employees and stakeholders.
He has worked in the past in both the outdoor and apparel industries and has experience in building and scaling direct-to-consumer brands, with an emphasis on culture, operating rigor and growth generation.
LaBore spent over a decade with Backcountry, an online outdoor outfitter, and effectively navigated a period of explosive growth, coupled with operational and ownership transitions.
Quatrochi comes to Christy Sports with more than 20 years of marketing and direct-to-consumer experience in the active lifestyle industry. She’s held leadership positions at Nike, Finish Line and Outside where she focused on memorable brand experiences, customer loyalty and cross-channel engagement that accelerated business results.
Nuelle brings more than 20 years of merchandising experience. She most recently spent 10 years at Backcountry, where as vice president of merchandising, she oversaw all merchandising for the hard goods, soft goods and bike businesses across e-commerce and brick-and-mortar stores. Prior to Backcountry, Nuelle held merchandising leadership roles at Nordstrom (Hautelook) and Overstock.com.