Former Boardriders Americas President Nate Smith has a new job – CEO of Marolina Outdoor, the parent company of Huk Performance Fishing and Nomad Outdoor, a hunting clothing and gear brand.

The company is based in Charleston, South Carolina, and Smith has relocated there from Southern California for this new role.

A former Navy Seal and U.S. Naval Academy graduate with an MBA from the University of Chicago, Smith worked at Patagonia and Oakley, among other companies, before joining Boardriders in 2017.

His Boardriders colleagues considered him one of the unsung heroes during all the turmoil at Boardriders and during the extensive sale process of the company.

Smith had one of the more difficult roles at Boardriders because he was located in the Americas, and thus worked in close proximity to representatives from Oaktree Capital Management, the former owners of Boardriders, and the Boardriders corporate leadership team.

Boardriders employees told SES during that time that Smith had tons of pressure and difficult directives pushed on him during the sale and cost cutting process, but Smith still managed to take the high road.

His former Boardriders co-workers described him at the time as “a stand-up guy,” “an incredible, incredible human being,” “two thumbs up,” and “I don’t know how he deals with it all.”  They said he provided much-needed leadership for Boardriders employees during a very trying time.

Edwin Lewis, chairman of the Marolina Outdoor board of directors, said in a statement about Smith’s hire: “We are incredibly excited to have Nate join the Marolina team. The leadership skills he developed in service to this country, combined with his extensive experience working with iconic brands, makes Nate uniquely qualified to lead Marolina in the next phase of its growth.”

In a press release announcing his new role, Smith said:

“I am very excited to be joining Marolina Outdoor, a company with an amazingly talented team and a proven formula for success. As someone who appreciates the passionate communities, cultures, and lifestyles the Huk and Nomad brands represent, I am eager to dive in with the team and develop a growth strategy that continues to exceed the performance apparel needs of fishing and hunting enthusiasts.”

 

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