(This story was updated on 9/26/2023.)
The Rossignol Group, a world leader in mountain sports equipment, is pleased to announce the following promotions and new additions to the Rossignol Nordic division:
Jeff Courter, previous Nordic category manager for North America, has been promoted to Global Technical Product Manager for the Nordic division. In this new role, Courter will be based from the Group’s global headquarters in St-Jean-de-Moirans, France and participate in the global development of Rossignol’s Nordic collections as well as emerging and adjacent new categories for the Group. With over two decades of experience across Nordic, Running, and Outdoor categories, Courter brings vast experience in terms of product development and commercial viability across global markets.
Replacing Courter as the Nordic category manager for North America will be Evan Pengelly. Pengelly began his journey with the Rossignol brand in 2006, serving as both a tech rep and a competitive Nordic athlete. Evan went on to become US Nordic Race Manager from 2015-2019, and again from 2021 until August 1st of this year when he officially assumed his new role as the commercial and category lead for the North American market.
A new addition to the Group, Foss Kerker has been hired in the joint role of Nordic Race/Product Coordinator for the US market and will be based in Park City, Utah. Kerker grew up in Minneapolis, Minnesota where he raced with the Loppet Nordic Racing Team. He then went to race collegiately at Colby College and trained with the BSF program in Bozeman, Montana.
In Canada, Etienne Letondeur will continue in his role as Nordic Race Manager after beginning with the Group in June of last year. Born and raised in France, Letonduer has been immersed in Nordic skiing for as long as he’s been able to walk. After relocating to Whistler, British Columbia in 2012, Etienne began coaching biathlon, and currently still serves as the head coach for the Canadian Biathlon Training Center at the Whistler Olympic Park.
Also continuing in his support for the brand and Nordic category in Canada is Jacques Vincent. An almost 30-year veteran of the Group, Vincent has been instrumental in growing the Nordic business throughout his tenure with his involvement in Nordic competition, regional and global product development, and finally driving strategic commercial growth as Nordic sales manager in Canada. As Vincent continues his transition into “retirement” he will consult and support both commercial and category leads, Denis Leclaire, WSE Sales Director, Canada, and Pengelly, on a seasonal basis.
GROUP ROSSIGNOL: The Rossignol Group, headed by Vincent Wauters, manufactures and markets a broad range of mountain sports and outdoor equipment and apparel. The Group and its brands provide a continuous, year-round experience accompanying consumers in every moment of sporting effort and leisure, from elite-level athletes to amateurs, from the mountains to the city. The Group’s global headquarters is located in the French Alps near Grenoble with five different industrial sites across western Europe (Sallanches, Nevers, Saint Etienne de Saint Geoirs, Artès, Montebelluna) and a U.S. headquarters in Park City, Utah. The Group houses a strong portfolio of complementary brands: Rossignol – the iconic mountain sports and lifestyle brand including Alpine, Nordic, and Snowboard, Bike, Apparel and Footwear categories; Dynastar – the specialist ski brand; Lange – the iconic specialist ski boot brand; Look – the long-standing premium manufacturer of ski bindings; Risport – the reference for ice-skating; Kerma – specialized in ski poles and technical equipment; and Dale of Norway, an iconic Norwegian brand known for its high-quality wool-based knitwear. Each has built their own unique identity and draws their inspiration from the mountains. Rossignol is majority owned by Nordic Private Equity fund Altor since 2013.