Bob Gregg becomes president of Outdoor Research

Bob Gregg, brother of Outdoor Research founder Ron Gregg, dropped the interim president title he held for 12 hours beginning the afternoon of March 18, and assumed the mantle of company president following a board vote on Wednesday, March 19.

Gregg told SNEWS that following meetings with company managers, board members, family and the bank, it became pretty obvious that what the company needed more than anything following the death of his brother was the stability of a full-time president, not an interim one.

“Ron and I had already discussed the scenario and I knew that is what his wishes were, but when we talked about it, you never really deal with the reality,” Gregg said. “I knew it was what the company needed and Ron wanted, so it was time to face destiny.”

Gregg, who retired from corporate life over a year ago to focus on private property development, has no obstacles that stand in his way, making the move back into a leadership position that much smoother.

When SNEWS asked him how his leadership style would differ from his brother’s, Gregg chuckled, “I am much more of a delegator than Ron. He was the company’s patriarch, the oligarch and Caesar, and while he listened to his team very well, some of the eccentric products in our line can’t be blamed on anyone but Ron — the Visor Organizer would have been a good example.

“More than 90 percent of Ron’s ideas and direction are spot on, but I suppose the biggest difference in my leadership style will be that I am much more market driven than Ron,” added Gregg. “I want to know what the customers want, and then we will go about building those products as Ron would have demanded, because that is the best way to build them.”

Gregg’s focus is not all business, though. He told us of his plans to put out a call for what he lovingly calls “Ron Stories” that the company will post on its website in the coming weeks. Click onto www.outdoorresearch.com where information for submitting stories about the legendary life of Dr. Ron will be posted soon.

SNEWS View: And so Outdoor Research begins its first full week under the leadership of someone other than the company’s beloved founder, Ron Gregg, for the first time in the company’s history. Ron would have wanted his brother Bob to assume control, and after spending time speaking with Bob about his new position, we’d have to agree that Outdoor Research is in more than just capable hands. Bob has the skill-set to do the job, no question, but more than that, he has the family passion to ensure that Ron’s legacy is one that will be remembered for his creative vision and obsession with product quality and function. Our only request is that brother Bob will not now undertake mindlessly riding off cliffs in search of design ideas like Ron though. One eccentric Gregg is all this world can handle.