John Irvine is the new head of public relations and special events at Mountain Equipment Co-op.
It’s Irvine’s second time around at the Vancouver-based outdoor retailer. He started at the co-op in 1995, working in the buying and design department and as a product manager for several categories including snow sports and water sports.
Irvine went on to join the outdoor clothing retailer’s competitor Arc’teryx in 2004 as its global sports marketing director and was director of international sales until last month.
“One of John’s key deliverables as a sports marketer is to support the outdoor community,” said Gary Faryon, chief operating officer for Mountain Equipment Co-op.
Faryon said that as part of MEC’s move into new sports such as yoga, running and cycling, Irvine will be building on the company’s brand ambassador program, which will include product testers and professional athletes and launch later this year.
“John’s keen understanding of how to fuse product, personalities and events into a potent promotional mix will be extremely valuable as we evolve the MEC brand to be synonymous with active outdoor lifestyles,” said David Labistour, chief operating officer in a news release. “We’re delighted to welcome John back into the co-op’s fold.”
