Osprey’s Own Sarah Harper Burke Honored with OIWC’s First Ascent Award

Cortez, CO – January 29, 2014 –Osprey Packs, a leader in creating top-quality, high-performance, innovative packs to comfortably and efficiently carry gear, is proud to announce that Sarah Harper Burke, Osprey Retail Marketing Manager, received Outdoor Industries Women’s Coalition First Ascent Award for leadership.

The First Ascent Award recognizes a woman in the industry who demonstrates strong potential for leadership and career advancement as well as a commitment to OIWC and the industry as a whole. Harper Burke received the award last week at OIWC Keynote and Awards Presentation at Outdoor Retailer in Salt Lake City.

“This award is very special to me however this award is much bigger than just me,” said Harper Burke. “It is about the future health of our industry. It is about celebrating women in the workplace. Most of all, this award is about change and building a better, stronger business practice for all of us.”

Holding an MBA from Colorado State University and a masters in sports management from the University of Tennessee, Harper Burke’s outdoor industry career has spanned almost two decades. Serving on the Outdoor Industry Women’s Coalition board of directors from 2010 to 2014, provided Harper Burke with the opportunity to work with other top women in her field and gain a more global view of management in the outdoor, bike and ski industries.

Founded in 1996, the Outdoor Industries Women’s Coalition is the only national organization dedicated to workplace diversity and inclusion by expanding opportunities for women and companies in the Outdoor, Snow, Run, and Bike Industries. The OIWC provides professional development and women’s leadership programming that promotes women’s advancement.

“Recognizing women leaders in the Outdoor and Snow Industries is one way OIWC provides inspiration for our members who aspire to advance and build their careers in the industry. We are thrilled to recognize the incredible impact of women like Sarah on the industries’ efforts around diversity and inclusion that leads to greater innovation,” said Deanne Buck, OIWC Executive Director.

Osprey Packs
Independent since 1974 and still anchored by the design genius of company founder and owner, Mike Pfotenhauer, Osprey Packs has long set the standard for creating innovative, high quality gear carrying equipment. The collection includes packs and bags designed to help adventurers enjoy their outdoor, biking, active everyday and travel pursuits.

The location of company headquarters in Cortez, Colorado, near the rugged San Juan Mountains on the edge of desert canyon country, provides a constant inspiration and a superb testing ground for Osprey products. Osprey also maintains a product development office in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, near the factories where they manufacture their products, ensuring face-to-face relationships and transparency with their suppliers. In 2009, Osprey opened a design office in Mill Valley, California, a hub of design talent and the birthplace of mountain biking. All three of these offices play a crucial role in creating Osprey gear that lasts a lifetime.

Osprey’s customers identify with the brand in many ways, including the product lifetime All Mighty Guarantee, category leading sales, worldwide distribution, dynamic social media communications and content, a strong commitment to the environment and partnerships with inspiring and interesting organizations. Above all, the brand encourages and maintains a direct line of communication on product performance, durability and functionality, which is then incorporated and reflected in every future Osprey pack.

Every Osprey product reflects the company’s commitment to protect the wild places its customers love to explore. For more information, visit www.ospreypacks.com.