From Farbank:
January 25, 2011 (Bainbridge Island, Wash.) – Far Bank Enterprises, brings new talent to its soft goods product development with the hiring of Markus Hutnak as Soft Goods Manager. Hutnak’s brings experience in both technical and fashion apparel, having held positions at Ralph Lauren, Mountain Hardwear and The North Face.
“In this newly created role, Hutnak will oversee and direct all apparel and luggage design and development for both Sage and Redington, and his expertise ensures category expansion for both Sage and Redington with high-quality offerings for our customers,” comments David Visnack, director of marketing and soft goods.
Hutnak joins the Far Bank team after his previous position as the National Geographic Society’s Director of Licensing for its outdoor equipment and apparel. Prior to that, Markus consulted with Ralph Lauren on the development of its RLX collection, advising on the intersection of the outdoor athletes, performance fabrications and lifestyle merchandising. He has also held positions with The North Face as product director in the snowsports and outerwear categories and with Mountain Hardwear where he established the baselayer and accessories categories.
“Taking this extraordinary opportunity to work with top quality brands such as Sage and Redington will allow us to be a strong force not only in fly fishing but also in the outdoor category,” notes Hutnak. “I’m excited to apply Sage’s unparalleled fly rod design principles to soft goods including apparel and luggage. Redington offers a tremendous platform to bring innovative and functional apparel and equipment to a wider demographic through broader retail distribution. Merging the well-known fly fishing lifestyle with my active outdoor lifestyle experiences will be a great addition to the work already done with these two brands.”
About Far Bank Enterprises:
In 2005, Far Bank Enterprises was created to serve as the holding company for three businesses at the forefront of the fly fishing market; Sage Manufacturing, Redington and RIO Products International. Sage is recognized as the world leader in high-end performance fly rods, reels and accessories. Redington is a leading supplier of value-driven fly-fishing tackle and apparel. RIO manufactures and distributes industry leading fly lines, leaders and tippet material.
