Columbia Gear history

1938: Lanfrom family buys Rosenfeld Hat Company and renames it Columbia Hat Co.

1948: Lanfrom's daughter Gertrude marries Neal Boyle.

1960: Gertrude Boyle designs a multi-pocketed hunting/fishing vest for the company to manufacture.

Neal Boyle's ascendancy to control over the family business occurred in 1963 when Paul Lanfrom died and Boyle became president.

When Gert’s father died in 1964, Neal succeeded him as president.

In 1976, however, Tim Boyle made a decision about Columbia’s future course that put an end to the years of merely striving to eke out an existence in the sportswear apparel market.

1978: Sales pass $1 million mark.

In 1979, Don Santorufo began superintending all the purchasing of materials and the manufacturing of merchandise at Columbia’s manufacturing facility in Portland and then quickly expanded production by contracting out work to several independent Pacific Northwest contractors.

The Interchange System, originally designed in 1982, has a waterproof outer shell with a warm zip-out lining.

In the series of commercials, which debuted in 1983, Gertrude Boyle put her son, Tim, through a series of tests designed to illustrate the durability of Columbia’s garments.

Beginning in 1984 the print ads and television spots created by Columbia's advertising agency, Portland-based Borders Perrin Norrander, cemented the company's reputation for manufacturing coats, hats, and other cold-weather apparel that could stand up to the harshest weather conditions.

In 1986, it offered its first Bugaboo parka for skiers.

1989: Columbia becomes leading United States skiwear manufacturer.

In 1986, it offered its first Bugaboo parka for skiers. It introduced a line of footwear in 1993.

At the end of 1995, President and Chief Executive Officer Tim Boyle made a move to steer Columbia in a new direction when he acquired retail space for the company’s flagship store in Portland.

In 1996, the company opened its flagship retail outlet in Portland, Oregon, and the following year it opened a store in Seoul, Korea.

Rose, Michael. "Columbia Sportswear Ramps Up Foreign Sales Push." The Business Journal, Portland, 22 September 1997.

"Gertrude Boyle." Gateway to the Women's Market, April 1998.

Columbia began selling men’s, women’s, and children’s socks in 1999, through a licensing agreement with the Tennessee firm Crescent Hosiery Mills.

A writer for Forbes (December 25, 2000) noted that Columbia had 'barely tweaked its popular Bugaboo coat in 17 years.' By not trying to be trendy, Columbia reinforced its image of authenticity and practicality.

The company seemed to do well by giving value--its prices were significantly lower than its competitors, such as North Face. It continued to concentrate on making inroads into year-round products, for instance signing a licensing agreement in 2001 to sell both sunglasses and ski goggles through a leading French eyewear manufacturer.

"Mother Boyle's Star Touch Keeps Columbia Shining." South China Morning Post, June 9, 2002.

As Gert Boyle entered her 80s (in 2004), she left the company's daily business to her son but continued to star in television spots and retained her position as chairman of the board, with no plans to retire.

In 2005 Gert Boyle published her autobiography, One Tough Mother: Success in Life, Business, and Apple Pies.