BUENOS AIRES, Argentina (BRAIN) — The Grinch stole Argentina’s bike market this year, but the industry hopes the spirit of Christmas softens the government’s stance and import laws are softened in time for the holidays, the traditional start of the Argentine bike season.

Argentina implemented new import requirements in February that virtually shut down all imports of bikes, as well as many other consumer products.

“Since February no one is importing complete bikes, with a few exceptions. The impact on our business is substantial,” said Fernando Ferreyra, Specialized Bicycle Components Argentina’s general manager.

Advanced Sports International’s Camel Zarzur says that each day the new restrictions remain in place makes his business harder to keep afloat.

“The quantity of imports has fallen to such a point that we will not have products for the 2013 model year. The customs regulations and restrictions make it practically impossible to import bikes or parts,” said Zarzur, ASI’s Argentinean importer.

What complicates the picture further for importers—and the situation affects imports of everything from cars to toys and food—is that many of the “rules” in place are not written into law.

Last year Argentina drafted new legislation requiring import licenses for certain product categories like bicycles, motorcycles and sporting goods to be issued non-automatically. Importers working in these product categories would have to renew their import license for each container of goods they brought in.

“Companies report that they have been told that their import license application will not be approved unless the company agrees to trade-balance requirements established by the Secretary of Domestic Trade,” said Josette Fiore, U.S. Commercial Service’s commercial specialist in the U.S. Embassy in Buenos Aires.

“So in order to obtain a license to import goods, they must show an increase in exports of the same dollar value of Argentina-originating goods. To import one dollar of goods they need to export one dollar. There is no legislation,” Fiore said.

The U.S. Department of Commerce reported that some companies began exporting olive oil and wine from Argentina to build up export credits so they could continue importing hard goods. But now even that is difficult, and the trade-balance requirement is crippling importers.

Trade with Argentina is so untenable that 14 World Trade Organization members, including Australia, the European Union, Japan, Taiwan and the U.S., drafted a letter in August requesting that Argentina eliminate its import restrictions. Argentina responded by detailing the manner in which many signatories wage unfair trade practices against its exports, so the dispute continues.

Argentina has a domestic bicycle assembly business but not large-scale bicycle manufacturing. But production of assembled-in-Argentina bikes also has ground to a halt.

“It is not easy to find parts. Shimano and SRAM have problems. Saddles, seatposts, bars, stems, spokes and other components have quotas. So you can have almost everything to complete a bike but you don’t have bars or saddles,” said Ferreyra.

Argentine bike consumers are finding other ways to get the latest bikes and parts, and a bicycle black market is growing.

“The only bikes to enter the country are those imported by people traveling to neighboring countries, and people have been bringing in products though online purchases,” said ASI’s Zarzur.

“But this has been reduced in the last month due to the limits on foreign purchases by credit card payment. But the black market business is significant,” he added.

Heightening the impact is last year’s record sales year, topping the previous few years of very strong growth in the market.

“The market was growing very fast in all categories and price points, and not only for imports of bicycles but also for local bikes—those assembled in Argentina with imported parts,” Ferreyra said. 

Ferreyra is optimistic that the government will do something to soften the rules by Christmas, noting that the current unavailability of toys and other traditional holiday gifts will put pressure to loosen its trade policies.

Zarzur also thinks the government could do something to liberalize its trade rules in the short run, but he does not see a quick return to the way things were in 2011.

STOCKTON SPRINGS, MAINE (BRAIN) — The U.S.-based Light Electric Vehicle Association has made its first hire in Europe to help broaden its reach into the e-bike crazed EU.

Peter Hildering joins the team to recruit new members and support current members from his base in the Netherlands. Hildering previously worked for trade magazines Bike Europe and Tweewieler, as well as Dahon, and is fluent in Dutch, English, German and French and speaks some Spanish.

“All in all it is fair to say that sales has been a natural thing for me, but always based on trust and openness and not on a hard selling attitude. I am more of a networking kind of guy.” Hildering said. “I strongly believe in the bright future of e-mobility and the fact that the bicycle industry is like family: treat it right and it will treat you right.”

LEVA currently counts 200 members from 26 countries on its roster. It represents the interests of light electric vehicle retailers, dealers, distributors, manufacturers and suppliers to promote the development, sale and use of LEVs worldwide.

LAGUNA HILLS, CA (BRAIN)—Bicycle Retailer & Industry News’ staff is wrapping up changes to its annual Industry Directory & Index, a comprehensive listing of more than 1,700 companies and non-profit groups serving the industry’s retailers.

The Directory, a separate publication, will be polybagged with the January issue. The magazine’s staff is tailoring this year’s directory to better help retailers contact suppliers and discover products based on a new indexing section.

“For example, ‘wheelsets’ is a key category today,” said Julie Kelly, the publication’s manager. “We’ll generally list independent wheel suppliers under that category making it easy for dealers to find a specific company or learn about new ones,” she said.

However, time is running out to send in updated contact information for the 2013 Directory, Kelly warned. Please send the following information to jkelly@bicycleretailer.com:

• Company name
• Address
• Inside sales number or 800 number
• Main number and fax number
• Email sales contact
• Company’s URL

“I need that information by Dec. 3 to make sure it’s included in the 2013 Directory,” Kelly said.

Ironically, demand for the printed directory has seldom been higher among dealers. Many dealers say they are frustrated when trying to track down contact information on websites, particularly if they are interested in ordering products.

As in years past, every retailer in the U.S. and Canada will receive a directory free of charge with the January issue of the magazine. The directory comes in a standard magazine-size format that’s quick and easy to use. Companies who exhibited at Interbike this year are automatically included in the Directory and do not need to send their contact information. Companies who previously sent updates do not need to resend them.

CHICAGO, IL (BRAIN) — Denver’s Turin Bicycles returns to its roots in more ways than one as it readies a new retail location in Chicago that will sell its own brand of bicycles as well as products and accessories from Asia and Europe that currently do not have U.S. distribution.

Turin started out in the Chicagoland area in 1965, and during the ’70s partners Alan Fine and Lee Katz would bring in containers of bikes from overseas to sell under the shop’s own brand. The store, which the partners sold in 2004, also had an in-house frame shop.

Around 1980, Turin moved away from selling its own bikes and focused on developing shoes, garments and other products. “We were one of the first producing Lycra in the U.S.,” recalled Katz, whose design and sourcing business, PHX Inc., has developed products for clients including Lake, Shimano and ACT.

Katz is now eager to slow down on the design business and stay closer to home. “I found I really missed the shop,” he said. Fine still operates Turin’s Denver store, opened in 1971.

In contrast to Turin’s full-service family and performance shop in Denver — bike brands there include Specialized, Trek, Bianchi, Colnago, Look and Wilier — the Chicago store will have “a really boutique-y kind of approach to it,” said Fine. “It’ll be a little different from the mainstream.”

Or, as Katz puts it: “We’ll sell what we make, which is a full line of bikes, apparel and bags, and what our friends make and what we think is cool.”

That means bikes from small builders as well as Turin’s own fixies, high-end internal-geared 3-speeds, randonneur rigs and disc-equipped ’cross bikes sourced from Taiwan, China, Italy and the U.S. Shop-brand bikes will also be sold at the Denver store.

“We’re building bikes with a lot of functionality and hopefully high value. Back in the ’70s the idea was to offer a higher value for customers, and a higher profit for us,” Fine said.

Turin will also start bringing in apparel, accessories and “more esoteric product” from European brands not currently represented stateside, Katz said. The partners are keeping mum on those brands, however, until they launch a new website to start selling their new wares ahead of the Chicago store’s planned March 1 opening. The site is targeted to go live Jan. 1.

In the meantime, they’ve begun design and demolition on a leased space in a densely populated pocket of Chicago with a high concentration of cyclists and bike lanes running in both directions out front.

LAGUNA HILLS, CA (BRAIN) — Nine out of 10 dentists would likely approve.

Brian Riley and Kyle Jansen stopped in at BRAIN’s offices this week on the final stretch of their "Save Your Teeth Tour," a 40-day road trip that stopped by 90 bike shops. The pair visited shops that stock and sell Jamis bike models spec’d with Slidepad brakes. The toothy tagline plays up the Slidepad’s biggest professed benefit — no more over-the-bars face plants due to slamming on a bike’s front brake.

The Slidepad is a one-lever system that uses a sliding rear brake pad to modulate the front brake. Riley, 25, and Jansen, 24, met while attending Cal Poly San Luis Obispo and launched the brake along with engineer and fellow Cal Poly alumnus Andrew Ouellet close to two years ago. Ouellet machined earlier versions of the Slidepad for his bike. He came up with the design after endoing to avoid crashing into a car.

The Silicon Valley trio eventually secured funding from a couple of angel investors and, after several trips and time spent in Asia looking for a supplier partner, outsourced manufacturing to cable, brake pad and housing supplier Jagwire.

With the Slidepad, no matter how hard the brake is pressed or how slippery the road conditions are, the front wheel doesn’t lock or skid. As a rider applies the brake, the rear brake pad slides, pulling on a cable connected to the front caliper. This mechanism makes braking smooth and controlled, said Jansen, who compares the Slidepad to the anti-lock brake system in cars.

“Many shops don’t know how it works and the benefits,” said Jansen. "Now as some of the 2013 Jamis Hudson and Commuter bikes start hitting, we wanted to visit shops to do some tech clinics and show how it works.”

Riley and Jansen racked up some 11,000 miles on the road, starting from company headquarters in Palo Alto, California, on Oct. 22. They leased a Ford RV and mapped out a route to shops spanning from Idaho to New Jersey, cooking breakfast or lunch for the retailers they visited. They spent many nights at Wal-Mart, where they could park their rig for days with no complaints.

The trip was originally planned for 32 days, but the duo was delayed as they reached New Jersey and New York right as Hurricane Sandy hit, extending their trip by about a week.

Jamis spec’d the Slidepad on some model-year 2013 bikes and Jansen said two other bike brands will spec the Slidepad on 2014 models. The Slidepad also is sold as an aftermarket kit for $49. It’s an easy upgrade on any bike with direct-pull brakes, Jansen said.

More about their tour on Slidepad’s Facebook page.

MINNEAPOLIS, MN (BRAIN) — The Kinetic inRide system wireless combines an iPhone app with any Kinetic stationary trainer, providing wattage, speed and cadence data.

The system relies on the Bluetooth Smart wireless protocol, which is built in to the iPhone 5 and third generation iPads. The system includes a wireless heartrate monitor strap and a powerand speed sensor pod designed to work with any trainer in Kinetic's line.

Data from the app can be uploaded to social media or coaching sites or it can be emailed to a coach. App features include: time in-zone for both heart rate and watts, programmable rider data for training zones and calorie burn, TSS, nPower, iFactor and Mean Maximal Power in 5 increments. 

The inRide kit, which includes a heart rate monitor and power sensor, retails for $229; the app is available for free on iTunes.

PORTLAND, OR (BRAIN) — After nearly 40 years in bicycle retail, Bike Gallery owner Jay Graves has retired and handed over the reins of his Portland chain to Mike Olson, owner of Trek Bicycle Superstore of San Diego, California. 

Graves is the second-generation owner of Bike Gallery, having started at the shop in 1974 at age 15 under his father, Bob Graves. The six-store chain, employing 85 to 100 staffers, is Portland’s only Trek dealer. 

“The Bike Gallery’s new owner is the No. 1 Trek retailer in the country and he will partner with Kelly Aicher, my longtime trusted store manager, who will run the Portland operation,” Graves stated in a mass email to friends, family and colleagues.

 All stores will continue operating under the Bike Gallery name, according to a press release. Olson and his wife, Colleen, currently operate four Trek Bicycle Superstore locations in San Diego and one in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

“When I heard Jay was ready to retire, I knew this would be a perfect fit. Bike Gallery and the Portland bike community are cycling legends,” Olson said in a release. “I’m looking forward to building Bike Gallery’s reputation and evolving the brand to an even higher level. This partnership will empower Bike Gallery to compete with Internet companies, while still offering the high-touch local service the stores are known for.”

An early supporter of Portland’s Bicycle Transportation Alliance and a founding board member of Cycle Oregon and Community Cycling Center, Graves said cycling advocacy will figure prominently in his post-retirement plans.

“As to next steps. I will continue my advocacy work,” he wrote in his email. “I am particularly excited about my work as an Oregon State Parks commissioner.

“My other main goal is to not make any major changes in my life for a year, so please call me for coffee or lunch. Thanks for your support over the years.”

SAN DIEGO, CA (BRAIN) — Competitor Group Inc. confirmed Monday that it has been sold to Calera Capital, as reported by several news sources including BRAIN last week. In a press release, Calera said Scott Dickey, president and chief executive officer, and Steve Gintowt, chief operating officer and chief financial officer, will continue to lead the company.

CGI, publisher of Velo and Triathlete magazines and owner of several major running event series, had been owned by Falconhead Capital. 

New ownership will continue a strategy of developing new events and making strategic acquisitions, Calera managing partner James Farrell said. 

The companies did not disclose terms of the deal. A source close to the deal told BRAIN last week that the purchase price was about $220 million.

BOULDER, CO (BRAIN) — AOL-owned Engadget.com is one of the most-read technology sites on the internet. People paid attention this week when its former editorial director penned a column recounting his dismal shopping experience at two bike shops on Black Friday and his ultimate decision to buy a bike online.

Brick-and-mortar shops "aren't worth the trip," were the final words of Joshua Fruhlinger's column, "This is the Modem World: Fear and loathing in the local bike shop." Fruhlinger spent part of his day Friday responding to some of the many comments left under his column, some of them from apologetic bike retailers. He also got comments about the column on his Twitter account, including one from a Specialized employee.

(See separate story: Speedgoat enjoys traffic bump, Specialized checks in).

Fruhlinger also did an interview, via email, with BRAIN web editor Steve Frothingham.

Q: Hi Joshua, I Googled around and gathered a few snippets about your career, but I wasn't able to find an up-to-date bio anywhere. Can you tell me a bit about your professional situation?

"This will be the first time I bought one online, and to be honest I'm still trepidatious about the whole affair"

A: Sure. I've been writing for Engadget since 2004, and until last year, was their editorial director. Last year I took a position at TMZ as their head of digital, where I run programming. I'm keeping my head in tech, though, with my Engadget column as well as regular pieces in The Wall Street Journal. Back in Southern California after 15 years in New
York, so I'm getting back into mountain biking, and can't wait to hit the trail!

Q: I gathered you are a longtime mountain biker from the column and the comments underneath. You said you had built up a bike or two from the frame up. Had you bought your previous bikes from brick-and-mortar stores?

A: I did actually, yes. This will be the first time I bought one online, and to be honest I'm still trepidatious about the whole affair: What if the bike is damaged in transit? What if I discover a bad weld or part? The thought of shipping it back as opposed to dropping it at the LBS isn't pleasing.

That said, I have my own workstation and tools, so as long as everything is in the box, I'll be fine. In fact, my last bike I bought in pieces from various local bike shops and built it up myself at home.

Q: So you are obviously not an entry-level consumer. Do you think the bike shops you visited were set up to deal with entry-level customers and didn't know how to deal with a more experienced/knowledgable customer? Usually the rap against shops is that they are snobby towards newbs.

A: You know, I thought about the same thing when I was talking to my mom last night. She has a great relationship with her LBS and she's entry-level. She's easy: ask her some questions, qualify her, and sell her a bike. She's not going to know the difference between XT and S9.

In my case, it's totally possible that I rolled in there asking questions about travel, bobbing, and holding a line that flashed "too much trouble, too little profit" on my forehead.

I felt as though they need to meet me halfway and at least show some interest.

Q: I guess the question is whether everyone of your generation has the same stamp on their heads.

A: I hope not, because I like having a local bike shop nearby. I like having the relationship. And to be fair, I'm sure I could have sauntered in there and said, "I want a Superlight with these specs for this price," but I felt as though they need to meet me halfway and at least show some interest. It's like dating: If you're not showing up, this relationship is going nowhere.

Q: Your final paragraph was pretty disheartening for any brick-and-mortar retailer. Are there brick-and-mortar retailers you rely on for other products? What do you think of Apple stores?

A: But it shouldn't be disheartening; rather, it should be motivating. We experienced riders WANT that relationship. The shops just need to work with us. Remember, I went out to the LBS before I turned to the online retailer. The latter just did a better job of closing me.

You can't replace brick-and-mortar retailers. People want to touch and feel product. Apple is a great example — they bet on the notion that if people just got their hands on a Mac or iPad they'd want it right then and there. You can't do that online.

Q: B&M retailers often say that they can't compete with online pricing. Did pricing have anything to do with your decision over where to buy the bike? You said you got a 15 percent discount; that's pretty good.

A: Price is always a factor, sure. But in my case I didn't even get a chance to talk price with the LBS. They had the retail price on a tag on the handlebars, and when I asked about the price, he simply repeated the tag price and said he'd work with me when it came time to do so. Point is, that was the time.

When I'm spending thousands on a bike, I have no problem paying a premium locally, especially since I get to ride away with the bike that same day. You can't put a price on hitting the trails within hours of buying a bike.

Meanwhile, here I sit, waiting for my bike to arrive from across the country.

Q: I guess a retailer is only as good as its sales staff a lot of times. As much as we talk about online vs. B&M and other big picture analysis, your situation really came down to clueless salesmen at the shops and someone helpful at Speedgoat. I notice you didn't mention the shops' names in your column.

A: Right. I'm not out to get anyone in trouble. Everyone has bad days.

And I haven't given up — I'll be back at the LBS for tools, apparel, components, etc.

MORGAN HILL, CA (BRAIN) — Engadget writer Joshua Frohlinger went to two Southern California bike shops on Black Friday, shopping for a Specialized or Yeti. After being disappointed by his experience, he wound up buying a Santa Cruz from online retailer Speedgoat.com. (Related: BRAIN's interview with Frolinger)

Frohlinger did not name the shops or Speedgoat in his column, but in the comments under the column he revealed Speedgoat's name. It was enough to drive some traffic to the site, Speedgoat's Jason Grantz told BRAIN.

"It's been generating increased web and phone traffic for Speedgoat, which has been great," Grantz said. "We pride ourselves for focusing on the customer and their needs regardless of how much they have to spend or what they might ride. Whether you call us or visit us at our Elgin, Illinois, retail location we treat everyone the same and we take our time."

Specialized also touched base with Frohlinger after the column. The company's Donny Perry reached out to the writer via Twitter.

Perry is global development manager for SBCU, Specialized's retail employee training program. He coordinates training for bike shop employees to avoid just the kind of scenario that Frohlinger descibed.

Though Frohlinger already ordered a bike, he's still in the market for shoes, so Perry hoped to help him find some Specialized shoes. "I'm hoping to take him shopping, if he's willing," Perry told BRAIN.

Although Frohlinger's column at first glance seemed to award a victory to online retailers over brick and mortar, his experiences weren't related to the type of retailer he visited, Perry said.

"It was a service failure," he said. "I know there are brick-and-mortar shops that offer wonderful customer service experiences and there are online retailers who have horrible customer service.

"This was a bad-service experience; it just happens that he had a bad experience at brick-and-mortar stores and a good experience with an online retailer."

Perry said stores need to have "processes in place" to prevent these kinds of experiences.

"Sometimes it can be hard to keep track of the whole staff, and someone can have a bad hair day, someone can say something that is taken the wrong way."

Frohlinger's specific situation — he'd done his shopping homework online and said he had enough mechanical experience to assemble a new bike — shouldn't have been a challenge to a well-prepared sales crew, Perry said.

"The amount of knowledge that a customer has shouldn't make it more or less difficult to sell. If the sales staff has a process in place, are empathic and listen, it doesn't matter the background of the customer."

LONDON, England (BRAIN) — Tour de France champion Greg LeMond told the French paper Le Monde over the weekend that he would be a candidate for the presidency of the cycling union UCI.

"I'm ready. I was asked and I accepted. If we want to restore public confidence and sponsors, we must act quickly and decisively. Otherwise, cycling will die. Riders do not understand that if we continue like this, there will soon be no money in cycling," LeMond said in a translation of the article. 

LeMond, 51, is in London participating in the Change Cycling Now forum, which met privately over the weekend. A news conference was held Monday. According to some reports out of the meeting, LeMond mentioned that he plans to re-enter the bicycle business. Bicycles have not been sold under his name since Trek dropped its LeMond line in 2008. 

CCN released a charter that in part calls for a "truth and reconciliation" program in pro cycling, along with overhauls at UCI.

The UCI, based in Switzerland, is currently led by Irishman Pat McQuaid since 2005. An election will be held in March.

The UCI announced Friday that it had formed an independent panel that would convene in April to "look into issues and allegations arising out of the Reasoned Decision of the United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA), of 10 October 2012, in relation to Lance Armstrong and the U.S. Postal Service Team."

Free event features trail, event, and equipment exhibitors from all over the country as well as educational seminars on bike advocacy, consumer trends and places to ride.

SAN FRANCISCO, CA (BRAIN) — After 13 years with Fizik, Suzette Ayotte, is stepping down.   

“It’s been a great ride and I was afforded the opportunity on many occasions to think outside the box, make a memorable impact and help build brand affection,” said Ayotte, the company's North American marketing manager.   

Ayotte has been not only filling the North American marketing manager role for Fizik but has also been involved in PR/marketing for Selle Royal’s other saddle brands, Brooks and Selle Royal. 

“It’s a long time in the saddle. Fortunately, the product has been so good – not one saddle sore after all those years” she said.

Ayotte can be reached at suzayotte@earthlink.net.

GHENT, Belgium (BRAIN) — The Belgian Association of Bicycle Retailers, founded in July, is the newest member of the European Twowheel Retailers' Association, ETRA.

The Belgian association is a division of Federauto, the Belgian trade federation for the transport sector.

Matthy Briers, the president of FederProCycle, said there was an urgent need for a trade association in Belgium.

“Although our country has a legal access to the sales and repair of bicycles, just about anybody and everybody starts up bicycle activities. Many sheltered workshops create employment by deploying bike activities. That is unfair competition to us, regular bicycle dealers, since their activities are subsidized.

"Secondly, we have around 50 schools that offer training. We want to ensure that the level of this training is such that it results in really professional dealers.

"We also want to look into the possibility of assisting colleagues who are temporarily confronted with a problem. Finally, we want to (re)establish our relationship with manufacturers and suppliers. There must be respect on both sides. If we can develop a good contact, we will have a win-win situation.”

FederProCycle is the third new member to join ETRA this year, after the Society of Irish Motor Industry (SIMI) and VDZ (Verband des deutschen Zweiradhandels e.V.).

BOULDER, CO — The Bicycle Product Suppliers Association (BPSA) and the Outdoor Industry Association (OIA) are working together to look at identifying and implementing best practices in environmental and social responsibility in bicycle manufacturing.

OIA has developed guidelines in partnership with the Sustainable Apparel Coalition, called the Higg Index, for apparel, and it is now looking to expand beyond apparel and footwear into the hardware side of the business. And it has asked the BPSA to participate with it as it develops these guidelines.

“The OIA gave a webinar presentation to the bike industry explaining how the program was developed for apparel. And we plan to have another presentation in January,” said Ray Keener, BPSA’s executive director.

The Higg Index is a tool enabling companies to evaluate material types, products, facilities and processes based on a range of environmental and product design choices.  The index asks questions to gauge environmental sustainability and drive behavior for improvement.

“Both the outgoing BPSA president, Chris Speyer, and the incoming president, Roger Gierhart, are pretty excited about BPSA investigating working with the OIA on these issues,” Keener said.

The BPSA is planning a session at the Bicycle Leadership Conference in April with the OIA on sustainable business practices, and the associations want to introduce those interested in the bike industry to the OIA’s work in this area prior to that meeting.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, NY (BRAIN) — Serotta this week released a new titanium road bike model, the Fondo SG. 

“Our goal with the Fondo was to meet or exceed cyclists’ expectations in ride performance, design and manufacturing integrity — all while keeping an eye on price,” said Ben Serotta, president and founder of the company. “We’re convinced that once cyclists try the Fondo, they’ll know we hit the mark.”

The Fondo SG is offered in six standard sizes with an optional Heads Up head tube extension. A complete bike, including a Shimano Ultegra component kit, retails for $4,295. A frame and fork only retails for $3,195.

The Fondo features Serotta’s size-specific tubing and carbon fork, Power S-bend chainstays and proprietary titanium rear dropouts.

“Like every Serotta, the Fondo is built by hand in our factories in Poway, Calif., and here in Saratoga Springs by the same craftsmen to our one standard: Serotta perfect.”

More information: Serotta.com. 

BOULDER, CO (BRAIN) — Bicycle event organizers can submit their events to the 2013 BRAIN online calendar with the form below.

Events accepted include trade shows, consumer events, distributor open houses, conference, etc. Please do not submit races, charity rides or gran fondos.

Please check the current calendar to be sure your event is not already listed.

Use the following link if the form doesn't load properly below: BRAIN Industry Calendar Submission Form.

If you have questions please contact web editor Steve Frothingham.

WESTPORT, CT (BRAIN) — Alan Offenberg has been named chief executive officer by the Compass Diversified Holdings board and will remain on the company’s board of directors. Compass is the parent of Fox and CamelBak.

Offenberg is a founding partner of Compass Group Management and has been with the company and its predecessor since 1998. He was appointed interim CEO in April 2011. 

“During his tenure as CEO, Alan has demonstrated strong leadership, as the company has continued to successfully execute its strategy. Since February 2011, we have completed three acquisitions and profitably sold two subsidiary businesses. We also completed a $545 million refinancing of the company's existing debt at favorable rates,” said Sean Day, CODI’s chairman of the board.

Joseph Massoud resigned from his position as chief executive officer and a director of the company last year. Massoud's resignation followed a settlement between the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and Massoud in connection with an investigation of personal trading from 2009. This trading was unrelated to CODI. Massoud has neither admitted nor denied the SEC's claims.    

Compass Diversified is publicly traded; you can follow its stock price on the BRAIN Industry Stock Chart.