Spy Optic president Michael Marckx continues on his march to reposition the company in a more forward facing directly. Yesterday afternoon he announced the hiring of from Patagonia Surf Shop instigator Devon Howard as marketing director for the company.
“Devon has deep California lifestyle roots, operational know-how, marketing savvy and meaningful relationships in our industry, which he has nurtured over his career,” says Marckx. “He is also really well liked and connected on so many levels, and not just in the surf world, but across the subcultures that make up our west coast lifestyle. I’ve seen Devon do great work on every level, smartly, with other good people. His unique blend of talents will unquestionably enhance our brand in myriad ways and help give shape to the new version of SPY he will help create with us.
For a little outside view on how this new version of Spy is being funded check out Jeff Harbaugh’s recent Market Watch column on Orange 21’s quarterly results. And to get more on Mr. Howard, follow the jump for the official word from Spy.
DEVON HOWARD JOINS SPY
CARLSBAD, Calif.– SPY Optic™ today announced the appointment of Devon Howard as marketing director. He will preside over day-to-day athlete, event and product marketing, and will report directly to SPY® President Michael Marckx.
A second-generation surfer from San Diego, Howard built a career on riding waves and promulgating stories about surf culture, history, personalities and adventure travel. A former editor at Longboard magazine and a regular contributing writer and photographer for The Surfer’s Journal, he is popularly known to surf as well as many of the athletes he’s documented. He has starred in and helped produce modern surf film classics such as The Seedling, Sprout, Single Fin Yellow and One California Day, among others.
“Devon has deep California lifestyle roots, operational know-how, marketing savvy and meaningful relationships in our industry, which he has nurtured over his career,” says Marckx. “He is also really well liked and connected on so many levels, and not just in the surf world, but across the subcultures that make up our west coast lifestyle. I’ve seen Devon do great work on every level, smartly, with other good people. His unique blend of talents will unquestionably enhance our brand in myriad ways and help give shape to the new version of SPY he will help create with us. His addition to our staff is another great example of the dynamic organization we are building and symbolic of the type of team we are planning our future with.”
Howard graduated from USD and cut his teeth in the action sports industry as a store manager at Mitch’s Surf Shop from 1993 to 1999. He additionally worked as a marketing consultant for several years with Converse (from 2003 to 2007) and, more recently, opened and directed the Patagonia Flagship surf shop in his hometown of Cardiff by the Sea, California (from 2006 until joining SPY).
“When Michael [Marckx] shared with me the great changes he was making to reinvent and revitalize the SPY brand, I knew I had to join the journey with his team of highly-talented and creative people who are as passionate as I am about the west coast lifestyle,” says Howard. “Plus, as a native San Diegan, I love that I’m working with a brand that has nearly two decades of action sports history in my backyard, as well as a legacy of real innovation and making great product.”
For more information about SPY, log-on at www.spyoptic.com and www.facebook.com/spyoptic.
