Petzl America Names John Kurth Headlamp Division Manager

CLEARFIELD, Utah (October 20, 2006) – Petzl, a leading manufacturer of climbing equipment and innovative Hands Free Lightingâ„¢ solutions, is pleased to announce the appointment of John “Nazz” Kurth as Petzl America’s Headlamp Division Manager.

In his new position, Nazz will manage the headlamp product line and will work closely with Petzl’s two sales market leads: Jon Rockefeller, Sport Division Manager and Michel Goulet, Work & Rescue Division Manager.

“It’s great to have someone like Nazz fill such an important position for Petzl,” says Petzl America Sales Director, John Pieper. “His diverse background in international business makes him ideal for this fast-moving, technology-focused product line. In addition, his love for the mountains and climbing meant that he joined us with a pre-developed understanding of our product line and appreciation for our brand.”

Nazz originally hails from New Hampshire and moves to the Salt Lake area from Chicago where he worked for a consumer goods market research firm. Prior to that, he was co-founder of a firm that assessed the market potential of early stage technologies. Nazz has guided in the mountains of Colorado and South America and has lived and worked in Peru, Ecuador, and Bolivia.

“I’m proud to be joining the Petzl family and be a part of such a passionate company,” says Nazz. “Petzl’s commitment to innovation and excellence in hands-free lighting is rivaled only by the energy and drive to create break out products that serve our customers. I’m excited to contribute to such a dynamic team focused on great products and superior service.”


Petzl America is the U.S. division of Petzl, headquartered in France. For over 50 years, Petzl has been developing innovative tools and techniques used by those entering the vertical world. Today, the Petzl brand is closely associated with adventure, exploration, rescue, and many notable exploits in the worlds of rock climbing and alpinism. Petzl’s line of headlamps and climbing equipment has won numerous Editors’ Choice awards from leading outdoor industry publications, including the 2006 Backpacker’s Editors’ Choice Award for the TIKKA XP headlamp. Petzl products can be found in outdoor specialty shops and premium sporting goods retailers around the world. For more information go to http://www.petzl.com.