Highlander Podcast
Business & Finance
About
A podcast about the past, present, and future of the outdoor industry.Highlander is made possible by the Outdoor Product Design & Development program at Utah State University and Aggie Radio in beautiful Logan, Utah.
Episodes
- 10 Years of OPDD with Christian Elkins
To celebrate the 10 Year Anniversary of the Outdoor Product Design & Development program at Utah State University, we are sharing conversations with alumni, faculty, and industry! Enjoy this conversation with OPDD alum and Product Manager…
- 10 Years of OPDD with Cory Haberstock
To celebrate the 10 Year Anniversary of the Outdoor Product Design & Development program at Utah State University, we are sharing conversations with alumni, faculty, and industry! Enjoy this conversation with OPDD alum and Designer at Seir…
- 10 Years of OPDD with Cassie Handzo
To celebrate the 10 Year Anniversary of the Outdoor Product Design & Development program at Utah State University, we are sharing conversations with alumni, faculty, and industry! Enjoy this conversation with OPDD alum and Material Develop…
- 10 Years of OPDD with Evan Loomis
To celebrate the 10 Year Anniversary of the Outdoor Product Design & Development program at Utah State University, we are sharing conversations with alumni, faculty, and industry! Enjoy this conversation with OPDD alum and Industrial Desig…
- 10 Years of OPDD with Makell Richins
To celebrate the 10 Year Anniversary of the Outdoor Product Design & Development program at Utah State University, we are sharing conversations with alumni, faculty, and industry! Enjoy this conversation with OPDD alum and Production Manag…
- 10 Years of OPDD with Matt Fitzgerald
To celebrate the 10 Year Anniversary of the Outdoor Product Design & Development program at Utah State University, we are sharing conversations with alumni, faculty, and industry! Enjoy this conversation with OPDD alum and knife designer a…
- 10 Years of OPDD with Ellie Ward
To celebrate the 10 Year Anniversary of the Outdoor Product Design & Development program at Utah State University, we are sharing conversations with alumni, faculty, and industry! Enjoy this conversation with OPDD alum and Senior Designer…
- 10 Years of OPDD with Molly Gurr
To celebrate the 10 Year Anniversary of the Outdoor Product Design & Development program at Utah State University, we are sharing conversations with alumni, faculty, and industry! Enjoy this conversation with OPDD exchange student and Juni…
- 10 Years of OPDD with Doug Hintze
To celebrate the 10 Year Anniversary of the Outdoor Product Design & Development program at Utah State University, we are sharing conversations with alumni, faculty, and industry! Enjoy this conversation with OPDD alum and founder at Lande…
- 10 Years of OPDD with Ciera Schelling
To celebrate the 10 Year Anniversary of the Outdoor Product Design & Development program at Utah State University, we are sharing conversations with alumni, faculty, and industry! Enjoy this conversation with OPDD alum and current Associat…
- 10 Years of OPDD with Eric McBride
To celebrate the 10 Year Anniversary of the Outdoor Product Design & Development program at Utah State University, we are sharing conversations with alumni, faculty, and industry! Enjoy this conversation with OPDD alum and current Product…
- 10 Years of OPDD with Jacob Johnson
To celebrate the 10 Year Anniversary of the Outdoor Product Design & Development program at Utah State University, we are sharing conversations with alumni, faculty, and industry! Enjoy this conversation with OPDD alum and current Apparel…
- 10 Years of OPDD with Tom Adams
To celebrate the 10 Year Anniversary of the Outdoor Product Design & Development program at Utah State University, we are sharing conversations with alumni, faculty, and industry! Enjoy this conversation with former Director of the Office…
- Frank Clark | Patagonia + Gregory Logo Designer | History of Gear
Frank Clark talks about his career as a graphic designer, including designing the Patagonia and Gregory logos! Listen to these conversations on the Highlander Podcast. https://opdd.usu.edu/podcast The Highlander Podcast is sponsored by the…
- Lee Turlington - Former VP @ The North Face / FILA - General Manager @ NIKE - VP Patagonia - Chief Product Officer - Canada Goose and more! | History of Gear
Lee Turlington talks about the early days of TNF, early collaborations with Apple on apparel, and other stops at iconic brands like FILA, Nike, and more! Listen to these conversations on the Highlander Podcast. https://opdd.usu.edu/podcast…
- Michael Hofler | Arc'teryx Logo Designer | History of Gear
Michael Hofler - Creative Director and the designer behind the iconic Arc’teryx logo - talks about his process, the creation of the logo, and the battle between retaining a classic logo versus reimagining it. Behance: https://www.behance.n…
- Outdoor Recreation Archive goes to Tokyo! | History of Gear
On this episode of the History of Gear, Chase Anderson gives a recap of the ORA's recent trip to Tokyo, their collaboration with Beams, and the future of the archive globally. Listen to these conversations on the Highlander Podcast. https:…
- Doug Hintze | OPDD Alum + Founder @ Landed Footwear | Highlander Podcast
Doug Hintze, OPDD alum, footwear designer, and founder of Landed Footwear, speaks to students about his time in the program as well as professional and entrepreneurial journey. Listen to these conversations on the Highlander Podcast. https…
- Jess Arnold | Product Designer + Developer @ SPG | Highlander Podcast
Jess Arnold, a designer and developer at SPG talks to OPDD students about her role as a developer, the career path, and how the role interacts and differs from others on the product team. Listen to these conversations on the Highlander Pod…
- Joanna Black | Archives Spotlight - Sierra Club | Outdoor History Summit 2025
Joanna Black, Senior Archivist at the Sierra Club, shares about their work and the archive at the 2025 Outdoor History Summit. Joanna Black Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joanna-m-b-a4880730/ Sierra Club Archives: https://www.sierra…
- Patrick McColgan | Archives Spotlight - Abercrombie & Fitch | Outdoor History Summit 2025
Patrick McColgan, corporate archivist and historian for Abercrombie & Fitch, shares about his work and the corporate collection at the 2025 Outdoor History Summit. Patrick McColgan Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/patrick-mccolgan-238…
- Rosie Mansfield + Category Management Panel Discussion | Highlander Podcast
A panel of category/product managers joins the OPDD program for a discussion about their roles, qualities of good product managers, and their pathways into the industry. Julie Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/juliebrophyrogers/ Rosie…
- Nancy Zastudil | 2024 Outdoor Recreation Archive Fellow | Outdoor History Summit 2025
Nancy Zastudil, an independent curator, editor, and writer, and one of our 2024 Outdoor Recreation Archive Fellows, presents her research and findings from her time in the Outdoor Recreation Archive at our 2025 Outdoor History Summit. Nanc…
- Martin Hogue | 2024 Outdoor Recreation Archive Fellow | Outdoor History Summit 2025
Martin Hogue, Associate Professor at Cornell, author of Making Camp, and one of our 2024 Outdoor Recreation Archive Fellows presents his research and findings from his time in the Outdoor Recreation Archive at our 2025 Outdoor History Summ…
- Erin Narloch | Senior Director @ History Factory | Outdoor History Summit 2025
Erin Narloch, Senior Director at History Factory, speaks as our Outdoor History Summit 2025 Keynote speaker on the importance of archives, how archives and heritage can be used by brands, and the Heritage Gap report. Heritage Gap Report: h…
- State of the ORA with Clint Pumphrey | Outdoor History Summit 2025
Clint Pumphrey provides a State of the Archives report at our 2025 Outdoor History Summit. Learn about how the archive grew in 2024 and other projects that we’ve been working on. Listen to these conversations on the Highlander Podcast. htt…
- Bill Simon | Outdoor Industry Executive (The North Face, Converse, Marmot, Cole Haan and more!) | History of Gear
Bill Simon, former executive of The North Face, Converse, Cole Haas, Marmot, and more talks about his start in the outdoor industry making technical garments in Taiwan in the late 70s, the shift to a global outdoor supply chain over the co…
- Matthieu Nicol | Author - Fashion Army | History of Gear
Matthieu Nicol, author of Fashion Army, talks about his work as a visual researcher, the influence of military clothing on fashion, and the value of archive and collecting.Learn more about the book: https://www.amazon.com/Fashion-Army-Matt…
- Henry Iddon + Max Leonard, Authors of Mountain Style | History of Gear
Henry Iddon and Max Leonard, authors of Mountain Style: British Outdoor Clothing 1953-2000, join the History of Gear to talk about their book, the influence of UK-based outdoor brands, and what makes British outdoor clothing special. Learn…
- Bob Howe | Tent Designer | History of Gear
Bob Howe, the tent designer behind iconic tents from Early Winters, Sierra Designs, and The North Face, talks about his career in the outdoor industry. Listen to these conversations on the Highlander Podcast. https://opdd.usu.edu/podcast T…
- Halloween Special: Jack Gilbert and the Founding of Mountain Hardwear | History of Gear
As a special episode for Halloween, we are sharing a previous episode of the History of Gear. Jack Gilbert and others founded Mountain Hardwear on Halloween in 1993. Enjoy this conversation with Jack! Jack Gilbert, former Vice President at…
- Todd Arenson | Founder @ Tsunami | History of Gear
Todd Arenson, founder of Tsunami, talks about the Utah outdoor products industry and the rise of fleece! https://www.linkedin.com/in/todd-arenson-052609a/ Listen to these conversations on the Highlander Podcast. https://opdd.usu.edu/podcas…
- Keith Byrne | Senior Manager - Global Brand Education | The North Face
Keith Byrne, Senior Manager - Global Brand Education at The North Face talks to students about corporate culture as well as aligning personal and brand values. https://www.linkedin.com/in/%F0%9F%98%87keith-byrne-7a85227/ Listen to these co…
- Nancy Grimes | Founder of Banana Equipment | History of Gear
Nancy Grimes, founder of Banana Equipment, talks about starting the company, being a woman in leadership in the outdoor industry, and introducing some of the first Gore-Tex products to the market. Listen to these conversations on the Highl…
- Charles Ross | Lecturer @ Royal College of Art | Outdoor Product Design & Development
Charles Ross, a Lecturer at the Royal College of Art in London, talks to OPDD students about sustainability, performance apparel, and reducing consumption. https://www.linkedin.com/in/charles-ross-1464714/ Listen to these conversations on…
- Randy Merrell | Founder of Merrell | History of Gear
Randy Merrell, founder of Merrell and the Merrell Foot Lab, talks about his ties to Utah State University, custom boot making, and the founding of Merrell. https://merrellfootlab.com/ Listen to these conversations on the Highlander Podcast…
- Ron Smith | Founder of American Outdoor Products - Backpacker's Pantry | History of Gear
Ron Smith, founder of American Outdoor Products, talks about the history of backpacking food, buying Dri-Lite and turning it into what is now Backpacker’s Pantry, and 75 years of outdoor food. https://backpackerspantry.com/ Listen to these…
- Robert Jungmann | Founder of Manastash and Jungmaven | History of Gear
Robert Jungmann, founder of Manastash and Jungmaven, talks natural fibers, founding brands, and the early days of hemp clothing in Seattle, Washington. Robert Jungmann: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jungmaven/ Listen to these conversations o…
- Alumni Panel | Natalie Cullum (Orvis) - Connor Young (Cotopaxi) - Jacob Johnson (Outdoor Research)
Alumni from the OPDD program, Natalie Cullum, Connor Young, and Jacob Johnson, return to the program to share their experiences and answer questions from current students who are preparing to enter the workforce. Natalie Cullum: https://ww…
- Damon Morris | VP Outdoor @ Elevate Outdoor Collective | Highlander Podcast
Damon Morris, VP Outdoor at Elevate Outdoor Collective, talks about his journey into the sports / outdoor industry, the dynamics of working on a product team, and shaking up the ski industry. Damon Morris: https://www.linkedin.com/in/damon…
- Paige Koch | Designer + OPDD Alum | Highlander Podcast
Paige Koch, designer at Primo Golf Apparel and freelance designer, talks about her journey as a freelancer and shares tips and tricks for those looking designers looking to do the same. Paige Koch: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paigekoch/ Li…
- Steve Brings | Founder of WAVE Products | History of Gear
Steve Brings, founder of WAVE Products, talks about the outdoor industry in Utah in the 70s / 80s, and the origins of his company, which started by making local ski patrol bags for hauling explosives when triggering avalanches. Wave Produc…
- Dr. Rachel Gross | Assistant Professor and Author of "Shopping All the Way to the Woods" | History of Gear
Dr. Rachel Gross, Assistant Professor of History at the University of Colorado Denver and one of our 2022 Outdoor Recreation Archive Fellows, returns to the podcast to talk about her new book, Shopping All the Way to the Woods: How the Out…
- Greg Thomsen | Founder @ Wilderness Experience and Outdoor Executive at Nike / Adidas | Outdoor Product Design & Development
Greg Thomsen, founder of Wilderness Experience and the force behind the creation of Nike ACG and Adidas Outdoor (US), shares his experience as an executive in the outdoor industry and talks to students about the qualities of great product…
- Diane Bristol | VP Culture & Community @ Revelyst | Outdoor Product Design & Development
Diane Bristol, VP of Culture & Community at Revelyst, talks to students about how to connect their personal values to those of a brand, and how to identify positive or negative company culture during the job search. https://www.linkedin.co…
- Andrea Kelly | Founder and CEO of Make Plus Equal | USU Outdoor Product Design & Development
Andrea Kelly, founder and CEO of Make Plus Equal, talks with students about her experience as a product manager and merchandiser, working for companies like Columbia Sportswear and Nike. https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrea-c-kelly/ https://…
- Mark Paigen | Founder and Creator of Chaco | History of Gear
Mark Paigen, founder and inventor of Chaco, talks about the whitewater boom of the 90s and its influence on sport sandals, the creation of Gecko, which would become Chaco, and his newest venture, Tread Labs. https://treadlabs.com/ https://…
- Chelsea Morley | Product Designer & Developer @ Little Unicorn
Chelsea Morley, Product Designer and Developer at Little Unicorn, and OPDD alum, talks to students about the role of a developer and other lessons from working on a product team. Listen to these conversations on the Highlander Podcast. htt…
- Jim Berryhill | Designed the First Catalog at The North Face | History of Gear
Jim Berryhill joins the History of Gear Series to talk about the creation of the first ever catalog from The North Face in 1966. While only working in the outdoor industry for a few short months, Jim reflects on his time with the company a…
- Jack Gilbert | Founder of Mountain Hardwear and former VP at The North Face and President at Sierra Designs | History of Gear
Jack Gilbert, former Vice President at The North Face and President of Sierra Designs and founder of Mountain Hardwear, joins the podcast to talk the history of gear. Listen to these conversations on the Highlander Podcast. https://opdd.us…