Outdoor Industries Women’s Coalition Announces Judges for Second Annual Pitchfest

April 25, 2016

Deadline to submit online Pitchfest applications is Saturday, April 30 at 11:59 p.m. MST

BOULDER, Colo., April 25, 2016 – The Outdoor Industries Women’s Coalition (OIWC), the only organization focused on the inclusion of women in the outdoors from participant to CEO, has announced the judges for its second annual Pitchfest. Judges for this year’s event include:

• Sally McCoy, Outdoor Industry Leader and Entrepreneur
•  Jerry Stritzke, President and CEO of REI
• Dan Nordstrom, CEO of Outdoor Research
• Jill Layfield, OIWC Board Member; Former CEO of Backcountry.com and Technology, and Outdoor Industry Leader
• Susan Viscon, OIWC Board Member; Senior Vice President of Merchandising and Private Brands, REI
• Matt Compton, Technology Entrepreneur and Investor, COO of Simple Finance

Pitchfest will be held prior to Outdoor Retailer Summer Market on Tuesday, August 2 in Salt Lake City. Finalists will live pitch to the judging panel and gain insight, visibility, and valuable feedback on their business. Applications for Pitchfest will close on Saturday, April 30 at 11:59 p.m. MST. Interested applicants can submit their application online at www.oiwc.org/Pitchfest.

“Pitchfest provides a dedicated channel for women business owners to inspire creativity, innovation, and growth in the active outdoor industries,” said Deanne Buck, executive director of OIWC. “Judges were selected based on their business acumen, product development expertise, industry influence, as well as their commitment to innovation within the industry.”

Finalists are chosen based on their initial applications and will be announced in May. All finalists will benefit from business-building resources, including exposure to media, potential investors, and influential industry leaders, as well as, pitch coaching.

Pitchfest was launched in 2015 as the cornerstone of OIWC’s Entrepreneurship and Innovation Workshop and is funded in part by The REI Foundation’s Mary Anderson Legacy Grant. In its inaugural year, 11 companies were chosen to live pitch their business.

For additional information about applying to Pitchfest, attending Pitchfest, or additional information about this year’s judges, visit www.oiwc.org/Pitchfest.

About Outdoor Industries Women’s Coalition (OIWC)
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. Learn more at oiwc.org.

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