Just got off the phone with old friend Mike Wallenfels, the President/C0-Founder of Mountain Hardwear. Because of Channel Signal I get early access to all sorts of information. Sometimes too early, but not this time.

So…I am working and a Channel Signal analyst sends me a link, I open it and read. Then I smile, and say damn, Wallenfels. I pick up the phone and call his cell.

I start things by saying, ” So, why am I looking at this information on my monitor?”  And he laughs.

Our conversation quickly gets past the “hardest decision I’ve ever made” and “pursue other interests” and we get to the heart of the matter.

# 1 Mike spends about 70% of his time traveling, and he doesn’t want to do that anymore. He really does want to spend more time with his wife and kids.

# 2 Once a CEO builds a company into almost 100 million in revenue, challenges to move that company forward change.

# 3  Columbia didn’t want Mike to leave. This is his decision.

So, now he’s going to Timbuk2, a company a little north of 20 million. Here’s some speculation on my part. A company this size must have a CEO that gets into the dirt with his employees. Product development. Pricing. Retailer visits. Market expansion. All growth issues that challenge a company of this size. It’s also a company that focuses on outdoor and bike…in the pack business. So, it seems to me that Mike is matching up with his passions.

And now to Columbia. Another old friend, Kirk Richardson, will be the Interim President for Hardwear. Tim Boyle is very lucky to have someone with Kirk’s skill set to step in and take over. He was a long time leader at Nike, then to Keen, and then to Columbia.

And Kirk is the kind of guy that will walk into the CEO role and make the transition seamlessly. And that needs to happen because Hardwear is a very well run company with solid people and product.

So, Mountain Hardwear is under good leadership.

And Timbuk2 is too. (Sorry couldn’t resist that.)

Good luck to both companies and their new leaders.