Petra Hilleberg Named Honoree of the 2012 PSBJ 40 Under 40 Awards

Petra Hilleberg, the 36 year-old President and CEO of Hilleberg the Tentmaker, Inc., has been named an honoree of the 2012 Puget Sound Business Journal 40 Under 40 Awards. Now in its 14th year, this annual award recognizes individuals from all over the Puget Sound area for their outstanding achievements in both career and community. This is the second 40 Under 40 award for Petra this year, as she was also named an honoree of the 2012 SGB 40 Under 40 Awards by the SportsOneSource’s SGB (Sporting Goods Business) magazine last month.

“Having just been named to SGB’s 40 Under 40, I feel both privileged and humbled to be recognized as a leader in my community by the Puget Sound Business Journal 40 Under 40 Awards,” said Petra Hilleberg. “The Puget Sound region is home to some powerhouse companies such as Microsoft, Amazon, and Starbucks, to name just a few. For me and my family’s tent company to be recognized among this group, and in this highly competitive region best known for high tech, mobile, medical, and similar industries, is an immense honor.”

After a search that included more than 400 nominations, this year’s list of forty recipients was selected by an independent panel of judges that reviewed lengthy applications completed by the candidates in which they shared their accomplishments, leadership philosophies and business challenges. The candidates also detailed how they have helped take their companies to new heights. These individuals represent companies from throughout the Puget Sound area of all sizes and a from number of industries, as well, including technology, health care, financial management, public relations, the nonprofit community and more.

“We are proud and excited to announce this year’s Puget Sound Business Journal 40 Under 40 honorees,” said Gordon Prouty, Puget Sound Business Journal publisher. “This year’s class joins the 520 past winners who have been recognized for their outstanding achievements in both career and community. They represent a diverse group of industries and backgrounds and demonstrate the innovation, energy and commitment that has made our region great, and will continue to make our region great moving forward.”

Hilleberg, Inc is part of Hilleberg the Tentmaker, manufacturer of high end backpacking and mountaineering tents with headquarters in Östersund, Sweden. Petra grew up in Sweden, was raised in and around the company’s tents, and learned firsthand both the tent business and the business sense that has kept Hilleberg so successful over the years. From an early age, Petra professed her desire to market and sell Hilleberg tents in the U.S. She used her senior business plan at Seattle University, which won a number of honors in business plan competitions, to create her vision of the company and subsequently launched Hilleberg, Inc in 2000, in Redmond, WA, two days after her graduation. Petra sold her first tent 24 hours after that. Today, thanks to her efforts, the business is a multimillion dollar company, and sales in the U.S. represent the largest single country sales numbers for the Hilleberg group. In 2011 there was a 70% increase in sales, and, to date in 2012, the company is up over 35%. Her success is a product of both her business strategy, which is built on both wholesale and direct sales, and on her tremendous ability to form relationships at all levels. Directly responsible for all sales activity outside of Europe, Petra has opened thriving distributors in Japan, Korea, Hong Kong, China and South America, while establishing and expanding direct sales to New Zealand and Australia.