GERT GETS THE LAST LAUGH

摘要

Ex-housewife Gert Boyle turned her late husband's indebted outerwear maker into a powerhouse When Gertrude Boyle's husband died of a heart attack in 1970, he left behind three children, a growing but heavily indebted sportswear company, and a wife who knew nothing about managing the family business. Not surprisingly, banks and creditors were not keen on having a housewife run troubled Columbia Sportswear Co. They forced Mrs. Boyle to find a buyer. But when she sat down and learned that she would make only $1,400 off the sale, she told the potential buyer, "for that kind of money, I'll run the company into the ground myself." That was 32 years ago, and in the intervening decades, plainspoken Gertrude Boyle, 78, known as "Gert," and her son, CEO Timothy Boyle, 52, have thrived. The two, who are featured in the company's humorous "Mother Boyle" ads, have made Columbia into one of the world's largest outdoor apparel manufacturers. This year, it ranks No. 15 on our Hot Growth list.