TOR BROWN: Global Product Innovator and Category Leadership Expert | Hydro Flask | Black Diamond Equipment | NIKE in United States
TOR BROWN
Global Product Innovator and Category Leadership Expert |
Hydro Flask | Black Diamond Equipment | NIKE
United States | US
Skills
- Cross-functional Team Leadership
- Team Building
- Research and Development (R&D)
- Product Development
- Product Launch
Interests
No information
Industries
No information
Work experience
Hydro Flask
Senior Product Category Director | 06/2023 - Current
Hydro Flask, a global leader in high-performance, sustainable hydration products, specializes in innovative water bottles, drinkware, and accessories designed for outdoor enthusiasts and everyday consumers.
Strategic Growth: Directed Hydro Flask’s largest revenue categories, driving hydration bottle and drinkware sales from $120M in 2017 to $200M by 2023.
Team Leadership: Hired, trained, and managed a team of up to five direct reports, including product managers, developers, and a color and trend consultant.
Product Innovation: Guided product pipelines using consumer and market insights to inform briefs and ensure alignment with global business goals.
Launch Strategy: Collaborated with sales and marketing teams to implement global and regional product launch programs, securing placements with key retailers such as REI, Whole Foods, Dicks, Tilly’s, Nordstrom, and Target.
Hydro Flask
Category Director | 03/2017 - 06/2023
Brand Collaborations: Partnered with Vans on a limited-edition water bottle and collaborated with renowned artists Hannah Eddie, Ty Williams, and Kailah Ogawa on exclusive product collections.
Global R&D: Traveled across North America, Europe, and Asia for market research, key account visits, trade shows (e.g., ISPO, Outdoor Show), and product development.
Profitability Management: Provided global forecasting, costing, and pricing while overseeing SKU management, margins, and full P&L accountability.
Executive Presentations: Delivered high-level presentations to groups of 200+ cross-functional partners, stakeholders, and retail partners throughout each product cycle.
iF Design Awards for Flex Straw Lid, Oasis Jug, and Cooler Cup innovative product design and functionality.
Gear Junkie & Gear Junkie Labs "Best Of" Awards top accolades for multiple products - design and performance.
Black Diamond Equipment
Category Director | 02/2015 - 03/2017
Revenue Growth: Oversaw Black Diamond’s largest revenue categories, growing product portfolios through innovative design and market expansion.
Category Leadership: Directed the Mountain Category including trekking poles ($30M annually), headlamps ($20M annually), managed telemark ski bindings, climbing skins, avalanche safety equipment, and technical packs, with full P&L accountability.
Trailblazing Innovation: Spearheaded the development of Z-Poles, revolutionizing the trekking pole industry with folding pole technology and scaling sales from $0 to $20M within five years.
Comprehensive Product Oversight: Managed diverse product categories across bags (trail running packs, approach packs, climbing packs, backpacking packs, daypacks), hard goods (telemark bindings, avalanche safety gear, ski poles, knee pads), and soft goods (gloves, tents, gaiters).
Product Strategy: Led product line planning, developing seasonal briefs to guide design, engineering, and development teams through commercialization, aligning product strategy with global business objectives.
Market Expansion: Traveled extensively to Europe and Asia for sales meetings, market research, and product development, attending major trade shows like ISPO Munich and the Outdoor Show in Friedrichshafen.
Nike
Global Product Line Manager Men's Running Apparel | 03/2013 - 02/2015
Portfolio Management: Oversaw Men’s Running Apparel portfolio valued at ~$500M, including outerwear, shorts, tops, mid-layers, and insulation.
Trail Running Innovation: Created the first Trail Running apparel line to align with a Trail Footwear launch, collaborating with Hurley designers on flat waistband shorts.
Exclusive Collaboration: Partnered with Japanese designer GYAKUSOU to develop a high-performance running shorts collection, blending fashion and functionality.
Cold-Weather Strategy: Conducted a product research trip with Norwegian Special Forces and athletes in snowy climates. This resulted in a cold-weather running assortment and a digital layering recommendation feature on DTC site.
Global Research: Conducted multiple factory and development trips to China, Taiwan, Vietnam, and Malaysia and traveled extensively to gather consumer insights for product innovation.
Strategic Collaboration: Partnered with cross-functional teams—Design, Development, Merchandising, and Sales—to align line planning with brand objectives and seasonal directives.
Product Launch Strategy: Delivered presentations throughout product cycles and go-to-market stages, ensuring alignment with global business goals.
Market Engagement: Planned athlete focus groups and market research trips to refine performance features and address consumer needs, including TRE (The Running Event).
Nike
Product Line Manager Men's NFL Apparel | 04/2011 - 03/2013
NFL Apparel Leadership: Managed the NFL Fanwear Apparel line, bridging performance and lifestyle designs to align with Nike’s brand and NFL partnership goals.
Nike
Global Product Line Manager Sports Performance Bags | 12/2010 - 04/2011
Bag Development Expertise: Directed Sports Performance Bag lines, including duffels and daypacks, ensuring material, hardware, and design consistency across categories.
Black Diamond Equipment
Product Line Manager Ski Category | 10/2007 - 12/2010
Global Collaboration: Conducted factory visits in China, Taiwan, and Vietnam to align production with product design goals, ensuring high-quality outputs and optimized supply chain processes.
Launch Strategy: Designed and executed global product launch initiatives, working with sales and marketing teams to deliver compelling campaigns and secure sell-in success across all retail channels.
Consumer Insights: Led customer focus groups and gathered market data to identify opportunities for product innovation, improve designs, and enhance functionality.
Team Leadership: Managed cross-functional teams, fostering collaboration across product development, marketing, and sales to drive organizational success.
Event Representation: Represented Black Diamond at global trade events, engaging with key accounts and stakeholders to present new product lines and strategies.
High-Impact Communication: Delivered presentations throughout product cycles, ensuring alignment with internal stakeholders, retailers, and distributors.
Award-Winning Achievements: Earned Backpacker Magazine’s 2011 Editor’s Choice Award for Ultra Distance Z-Poles, reinforcing Black Diamond’s reputation as a leader in product innovation.
PSIA - AASI Professional Ski Instructors of America - American Association of Snowboard Instructors
PSIA Nordic Demonstration Team | 11/2004 - 10/2008
Achieved highest level (3) certification in both Telemark and Cross Country ski instruction. Taught nordic skiing around the world and represented PSIA on their elite Demonstration Team - teaching, examining, certifying, writing articles and contributing to educational videos and manuals.
Fischer Sports
Product Line Manager | 12/2005 - 04/2007
Product Innovation: Invented, designed, and developed the Jibskate freestyle Nordic ski for kids, earning the Hard Goods Product Innovation Winner at ISPO Munich in 2006.
Category Leadership: Developed product and marketing strategies that positioned Fischer as the kids’ Nordic ski category leader.
Global Collaboration: Worked at Fischer’s HQ in Austria for six months, utilizing French and German language skills during international marketing and European demonstration events.
Athlete Management: Managed amateur and Olympic-caliber athletes, overseeing contracts, product distribution, and international event schedules for a traveling demonstration team.
Consumer Insights: Led customer focus groups to inform the development and design of skis, boots, and promotional soft goods for kids and teens.
Marketing Alignment: Collaborated on website and product catalog content to support global branding initiatives.
Northstar at Tahoe
Nordic Director | 10/2000 - 04/2006
Resort Management: Oversaw Nordic ski resort operations, managing a 50km track system, three warming huts, and a ski rental facility with full P&L accountability.
Profit Optimization: Restructured programs and pricing, achieving record net profit by 2002.
Team Leadership: Hired, trained, and managed a 15-person team, including cashiers, grooming machine operators, and ski instructors, focusing on teamwork and guest service.
Event Coordination: Organized and executed special events such as races, tours, and clinics to drive guest engagement and revenue.
Retail and F&B Oversight: Managed retail operations for apparel and accessories and coordinated food and beverage offerings at small concessions.
Marketing Collaboration: Created and contributed to resort-wide Nordic marketing materials.
Training Programs: Designed and conducted comprehensive job training for all team roles, emphasizing operational excellence and exceptional guest service.