PORTLAND, OR -- (Marketwire) -- 10/06/09 -- Columbia Sportswear Company (NASDAQ: COLM), a global leader in active outdoor apparel, footwear and accessories, today announced that it has appointed Kathleen McNally as creative director for apparel.

McNally brings over 20 years of senior experience in apparel design with several global sportswear brands. For the past five years, she served as vice president of design at lucy activewear, where she helped build the brand from a start-up in 2000 to a leader in the women's active lifestyle marketplace prior to the company's acquisition by VF Corporation (NYSE: VFC) in September 2007.

Her career also includes 11 years as a lead apparel designer at NIKE (NYSE: NKE), where she was instrumental in designing key seasonal launch categories and led design teams in the development of men's, women's and kids' product lines across multiple billion-dollar sport categories. She also served as design director with J.Crew in New York, and has consulted with several other leading brands on a freelance basis. Since January 2009, she has served as a design consultant to Columbia Sportswear, successfully elevating the design of its women's apparel line.

"We are very excited to welcome Kathleen McNally to Columbia Sportswear," said Mark Koppes, vice president, Global Apparel. "Kathleen's proven design aesthetic and leadership skills have already had a very positive impact on the design of Columbia's women's apparel line. We're confident that she will help increase our ability to create compelling, innovative products that address the needs of outdoor consumers across all genders and categories."

"Columbia has a well-known brand, a rich history and a strong portfolio of innovative performance technologies," said McNally. "I'm excited to work with the other members of Columbia's design and merchandising teams to blend superior design with these existing ingredients to create great products for outdoor enthusiasts."

About Columbia Sportswear Company

Founded in 1938 in Portland, Oregon, Columbia Sportswear Company is a global leader in the design, sourcing, marketing and distribution of active outdoor apparel, footwear, accessories and equipment. As one of the largest outerwear manufacturers in the world and a leading seller of skiwear in the United States, the company has developed an international reputation for quality, performance, functionality and value. The company manages a portfolio of outdoor brands including Columbia Sportswear, Montrail, Mountain Hardwear, Pacific Trail, and Sorel. To learn more about Columbia, please visit the company's website at http://www.columbia.com/.