Society43 Moves to Portland and Makes Key Hires
Society43, a recent StartUp PDX Challenge semi-finalist, has relocated their headquarters to Portland from Eugene, OR. The move allows for the company’s continued growth and access to talent. Society43 currently employs 15 people.
Portland’s Produce Row neighborhood in the Central Eastside continues to prove its reputation as a hub for entrepreneurs in the Athletic and Outdoor industry. See Society43’s press release below to learn more about the company and their recent expansion.
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PORTLAND, May 28, 2013– In April of 2013 the Society43 team, the leading company in officially licensed sunglasses and optical accessories, said farewell to their Eugene, OR headquarters and moved north to Portland. Society43 will forever be influenced by spending their first three years in Eugene, but explosive growth coupled with the lure of Portland’s creative hub and sports industry talent was too strong to resist.
“Portland is known for being a creative hub of hard working and socially conscious people, which perfectly aligns with our core values and work ethic,” said Jason Bolt Founder and CEO of Society43. “We are growing and hiring at a rapid pace and Portland is where the top outdoor, creative, and sports marketing talent lives. Tapping into the talent pool here will allow us to expand our workforce and push our sales growth.”
The new Society43 headquarters is located in the Ford Building, the heart of Portland’s newly flourishing Central Eastside Industrial District. The Central Eastside Industrial District is currently home to other businesses in the Athletic and Outdoor industry like Showers Pass and Nutcase Helmets.
Society43 has already started to fill the new headquarters and fuel growth by making some key hires:
● Brandon Littlefield came to the Society43 team in January via Nuun UK where he was the Creative Director and Brand Manager. As the Creative and Brand Director at Society43, Brandon is responsible for crafting a consistent brand image and voice that resonates with fans on both the collegiate and professional levels. Brandon on Linkedin
● Steve Ham, former Sales and Marketing Director at Lantern Moon, joined the Society43 team as the National Sales Director in April. As National Sales Director, Steve will lead the day to day operations of Society43’s national sales staff, while further developing the company’s strategic sales goals. Steve on Linkedin
● Sharon Oliverio joined the Society43 team in April as the Supply Chain Director. Sharon comes to Society43 from Smith Sport Optics, where she served as Global Operations Manager. She brings over 20 years of leadership experience in retail operations, logistics, and supply chain at Northwest companies including Nordstrom, Hollywood Video, and Nike. Sharon on Linkedin
● Garrett Bishop, former Sales and Marketing Director at Plywerk, joined the Society43 team at the beginning of May and completed this round of executive level hires. As the Marketing Director for Society43, Garrett brings a wealth of creativity, eCommerce expertise, and outdoor industry experience to Society43 team. Garrett on Linkedin
Society43 is a socially conscious company that specializes in well built, exciting, and affordable officially licensed sunglasses and eyewear accessories. We currently provide logoed sunglasses to over 75 of the largest universities in the world. Plus we have over 3,500 custom sunglasses combinations that are built right here in Oregon!
Contact: Garrett Bishop | gb@society43.com
