Leatherman Tool Group Selects New Senior Director of Product
180one recently partnered with Leatherman to help them identify and select a new Senior Director of Product Development. Check back soon for more details!
About the Company
We invented our category, and we make what we sell. We employ over 550 people in Portland, OR where we are headquartered, and where we also manufacture, package, and ship all our products from. We buy steel from Ohio, bring it to the east end of our building, and then ship our tools to 80 countries around the world, from the west end of our building.
We create products that prepare you for the expected and the unexpected and unlock your potential to empower you to be part of your own epic tale of triumph. We facilitate epic tales of triumph not only through our products, but also through resulting relationships, careers, community, and social responsibility – environment, fair trade, and Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion.
LTG Guiding principles:
- Dominate multi-tools (in product excellence and revenue)
- Make what we sell (in Portland, OR)
- Privately held – in the Leatherman family (debt free)
- A great place to work for committed employees
Leatherman’s Manifesto: We believe we are here to empower people for whatever life throws their way. Regardless of who you are, we believe that with the right tools in hand, anyone can achieve greatness. We believe we can make significant contributions to the world through innovation, so we value perseverance in our work and ingenious design in our products. We believe in growing and supporting our most valuable asset – our employees. That’s why we believe in integrity and authentic collaboration, which instills trust in one another and allows us to create global solutions that our competitors cannot copy. We believe in self-honesty and humility, which fuels change and growth from our failures.
And when we reflect these values, we believe we’re building a thriving culture that celebrates diversity promoted personal and professional growth, develops respect for one another, and cultivates a community that can solve any problem.
About the Opportunity
In direct support of LTG growth goals the organization has added a new role, Senior Director of Product, reporting directly into the CEO and a participant on the organization’s senior leadership team. In addition to standing up a new internal strategic product function, this position will be responsible for the design, implementation, and leadership of comprehensive product line strategies for targeted industries, including identification of opportunities, market needs, product roadmap, product solutions, market potential and sales potential.
This is an exciting opportunity for someone who is energized by:
- Articulating opportunities and insights that we can act on gathered through research, consumer testing and observations.
- Collaborating with internal and external stakeholders and subject matter experts for opportunity identification, definition, and prioritization.
- Serving as the global expert of targeted industries, maintaining current knowledge of Leatherman’s consumers, markets, and competition.
- Leading innovation that is both relevant to and supportive of our brand values.
- Developing strategies for product, pricing, market entry, and management of products in the NPD Process from Strategy through Post-Launch evaluation to meet corporate objectives for revenue, profit, and brand.
This new addition represents a critical investment in LTG’s strategic growth plan. Come make an impact with a premium brand, category inventor and dominate leader.
Essential Functions
It is essential for all employees to adhere to Company policies.
- Applies business acumen to maximize the units sold, revenue and profit from our existing categories while supporting our brand values.
- Identifies and prioritizes consumers segments that we should target for new products.
- Identifies consumer needs that are valuable and relevant and feasible to address with our resources.
- Articulates consumer needs in a way that enables our design, engineering, and manufacturing teams to be able to innovate solutions.
- Develop and lead the product line strategy for targeted industries including price positioning and product development in market segments and channels.
- Successfully implement product plans to achieve industry objectives and strategies.
- Develop and implement market segmentation strategies and plans.
- Lead the process for product ideation and opportunity identification.
- Works with cross-functional colleagues to anticipate and resolve priority challenges
- Lead the process for updating industry, channel, market data and trends.
- Develop preliminary budgets (at NPD milestones) for product plans including development resources.
- Evaluate product recommendation from existing and potential customer for product feasibility.
- Develop strategies to improve product position domestically and in global markets.
- Create pricing strategies to support targeted channels.
- Lead the Voice of Customer and Voice of Channel Partner process.
- Own the product life cycle and execute exit strategies.
- Develop and implement processes to assess and develop packaging that satisfies customer needs and corporate packaging strategies.
- Lead cross functional team(s) to develop channel and key customer promotions.
- Development of new product budget: including capital expenditures, marketing and sales expenditures required to execute product launch.
- Participate in the creation and adherence to the department budget.
- Leads, hires, and manages a team of professionals. This includes supervision, individual and team performance, and mentoring to ensure effective execution of individual and team responsibilities
- Participates as a member of the LTG senior leadership team.
Competencies
- Strategic thinking engagement, involvement, and alignment. Defining how the role fits in and influences a positive business outcome.
- Builds trust, able to tie in and gain support at all levels, sees what is happening and accurately predicts and articulates what will happen. Teaches. Possesses curiosity and optimism. Respectful.
- Customer focus, creates value, present and always engaged
- Collaborates and provides leadership among our sr. leaders, a resource to accomplishing goals for company, team and individuals.
- Business acumen, ability to connect the decisions they make and tangible outcomes that support our Mission, Vision, Values, Guiding Principles, and strategy.
- Confident & accountable for self, team to which they lead and belong. Articulate and able to inspire excitement and lead people to a vision.
- Passionate, skilled, and experienced in the role.
- Attracts top talent – Attracting and selecting the best talent to meet current and future business needs.
- Builds effective teams – Building strong-identity teams that apply their diverse skills and perspectives to achieve common goals.
- Cultivates innovation – Creating new and better ways for the organization to be successful.
- Decision quality – Make good and timely decisions that keep the organization moving forward.
- Drives vision and purpose – Painting a compelling picture of the vision and strategy that motivates others to action.
- Ensures accountability – Hold self and others accountable to meet commitments.
- Global perspective – Taking a broad view when approaching issues, using a global lens.
Education and Experience
- Bachelor’s Degree required. MBA with marketing focus or related experience preferred.
- Ten or more years of progressively responsible product marketing and project management experience preferred.
- Strong track record of leadership and the ability to attract, develop and retain talent
- High level of analytical thinking with demonstrated talent for identifying, scrutinizing, improving, and streamlining work processes
- Flexible team player who thrives in environments requiring ability to effectively prioritize and juggle multiple concurrent projects
- Ability to build collaborative partnerships cross-functionally
- Ability to deal with ambiguity and be comfortable in a situation that is not always well defined or changes frequently
- Good communication skills, a professional attitude, and enthusiasm for one’s work are all prerequisites for this position.
- Excellent communication and presentation skills with the ability to speak and communicate effectively.
- Work independently and possess a high level of self-motivation and initiative.
Leatherman Tool Group Inc. believes that each employee makes a significant contribution to our success. That contribution should not be limited by the assigned responsibilities. Therefore, this position description is designed to outline primary duties, qualifications, and job scope, but not limit the individual nor the organization to just the work identified. It is our expectation that each employee will offer his/her services wherever and whenever necessary to ensure the success of our endeavors.
Interested in learning more? 180one is a retained search firm engaged by Leatherman to conduct this search. If interested in learning more about the opportunity, please contact Tom Haley at 180one at: tom@180one.com.
In leadership hiring, one belief persists above nearly all others: that past performance is the best predictor of future success. It’s logical, comforting, and intuitive. After all, if a leader delivered results before, higher revenue, a successful turnaround, a winning streak -they must be capable of doing it again. But that assumption is dangerously flawed. A growing body of evidence, real-world missteps, and cautionary tales suggest that evaluating a leader based solely (or even primarily) on past results can lead to costly misalignments. A recent example highlights this perfectly: The University of North Carolina’s headline-grabbing hire of NFL legend Bill Belichick as head football coach. With six Super Bowl rings and a reputation as one of the greatest coaches in history, Belichick’s track record was unparalleled. Yet in his college football debut with UNC, his team suffered a lopsided 48–14 loss. Suddenly, it was clear: past greatness didn’t guarantee future success in a dramatically different context. While we know Coach Belichick is very early in his tenure at UNC, it’s a fresh reminder that this example extends far beyond sports. It speaks directly to how businesses approach executive hiring, and why it’s time to shift the paradigm. 1. Context Is Everything A key mistake in interpreting a leader’s past success is ignoring the unique conditions under which that success occurred. Was the company in a growth market? Did the executive have access to elite teams, ample resources, or timing that favored bold moves? An executive who excelled in a highly structured, well-capitalized organization may not thrive in a lean, ambiguous, or turnaround environment. Just as Belichick moved from the resource-rich NFL to a university setting with completely different dynamics, many business leaders falter when they switch into unfamiliar ecosystems. Context can make or break performance, and no résumé bullet point can capture that nuance. 2. Success Is Rarely a Solo Act Leadership achievements often look like individual triumphs: “Led $500M product launch,” “Turned around underperforming division,” or “Grew revenue by 60%.” But these outcomes are almost always the result of collective effort. High-performing teams, strong market tailwinds, or favorable internal politics may have played a significant role. Without understanding the true contributors to success, companies risk crediting one person for what was actually a team-driven or market-driven win. Belichick’s NFL success, for example, wasn’t built in a vacuum, it involved legendary players, long-standing staff, and decades of organizational infrastructure. When hiring executives, we must dig deeper: Was the leader truly driving results, or were they simply in the right place at the right time? 3. The Skills That Worked Before May No Longer Apply Many executives ascend by mastering a particular set of skills, scaling a startup, optimizing supply chains, leading sales, but the demands of a new organization may require a completely different skill set. A tactically brilliant operations leader may struggle in a CEO role that demands vision, cross-functional influence, and public-facing leadership. Similarly, an aggressive change agent may clash with a culture that values steady consensus-building. In Belichick’s case, the NFL rewards control, discipline, and closed systems. College athletics requires recruiting 17-year-olds, navigating academic culture, and engaging with boosters. Translated to the corporate world: the same leadership playbook won’t always work in a different environment. 4. Cultural Fit Often Trumps Credentials More than half of executive failures can be traced back to a mismatch in values, communication style, or organizational expectations. Culture fit isn’t about superficial traits - it’s about deep alignment with how a company makes decisions, treats people, and approaches problems. A highly hierarchical leader from a Fortune 50 firm may feel paralyzed in a startup where decision-making is fast and informal. Conversely, a founder-style leader may chafe against the bureaucracy of a multinational. In Belichick’s case, the shift from professional players to student-athletes required more than tactical expertise - it required a mindset and relational approach that wasn’t part of his long NFL tenure. Culture was the hidden barrier. 5. The Future Requires Adaptability, Not Repeatability The pace of change in business today is staggering. AI, hybrid work, geopolitical instability, and generational shifts in employee values mean that today’s leaders must continuously learn, pivot, and adapt. Past performance often reflects a leader’s ability to optimize for the conditions that once existed - not necessarily their ability to navigate what’s coming next. Instead of asking, “What has this leader done?” the better question is, “How do they think? How do they learn? Can they lead through ambiguity?” Executives with linear, legacy-bound thinking may fall short in organizations seeking transformation. Adaptability, not a polished track record, is becoming the most valuable leadership asset. 6. The Halo Effect Clouds Judgment High-profile successes create a “halo effect,” where we assume someone who succeeded in one role will succeed anywhere. It’s why hiring managers are drawn to big names and prestigious brands. But prestige can mask weaknesses. Hiring a famous CEO from a household-name tech company might seem like a coup, until they struggle in a smaller, more complex environment with fewer resources. The same logic applies to Belichick’s move to UNC. The name was dazzling. The record was flawless. But the assumption of transferable success was flawed. Boards and hiring committees must challenge their own biases and evaluate candidates with fresh eyes. So What Should Companies Hire For? Rather than focusing solely on achievements, companies should shift toward evaluating capability and potential . Here’s how: Learning Agility : Has the leader successfully reinvented themselves in different roles or industries? Self-Awareness : Can they reflect critically on past experiences and acknowledge where they’ve failed? Cultural Intelligence : Are they attuned to the nuances of different organizational cultures? Systems Thinking : Can they see the big picture and lead across functions, markets, and time horizons? Emotional Intelligence : Do they inspire trust, connect with people, and lead with empathy? These traits are harder to measure than revenue growth or market share, but far more predictive of long-term success. The Goal Line The University of North Carolina’s hiring of Bill Belichick was bold, ambitious, and rooted in the assumption that his past greatness would translate seamlessly into a new role. When it didn’t, the world was reminded of a difficult truth: past performance is an input, not a guarantee. In business, the stakes are just as high. Leadership decisions shape strategy, culture, and value creation. To get those decisions right, we must look beyond the résumé and consider who a leader is, not just what they’ve done. Because in a world of constant change, the leaders who succeed are not those who repeat the past, but those who are ready to lead into the unknown.
VP of Sales About the Company Superior Duct Fabrication is a recognized leader in the HVAC and sheet metal fabrication industry, known for our commitment to precision, innovation, and customer satisfaction. They serve some of the largest mechanical contractors and construction firms in the region and are poised for strategic growth. Superior is seeking an experienced, driven, and visionary Vice President of Sales to lead the team and drive new business nationally. In 2025, Seattle-based private equity firm Pike Street Capital made a platform investment in Superior to accelerate growth through geographic expansion, product innovation, and targeted acquisitions. With a strong leadership team, trusted customer relationships, and increasing demand for sophisticated air handling solutions, Superior is positioned for rapid, scalable growth. About the Position The Vice President of Sales will be responsible for leading all aspects of the sales and marketing organization—driving revenue growth, building and developing high-performing teams, implementing best-in-class sales processes and marketing, and expanding market share with top-tier key accounts. Essential Duties and Responsibilities Develop and implement a comprehensive sales and marketing strategy focused on achieving company growth objectives Recruit, mentor, and lead a high-performing sales team with a strong focus on execution, collaboration, accountability, and excellence. Create a culture of coaching, learning, and performance, using data and feedback for continuous improvement. Identify, prospect, and engage potential Key and Territory customers, including large-scale, strategic accounts, through relationship-building, deep industry knowledge, and competitive positioning, utilizing various channels, including cold calling, networking, and industry events. Utilize and maintain robust sales processes like MEDDICC to build and maintain a strong pipeline of qualified leads and opportunities. Craft and deliver compelling marketing content, presentations, and proposals demonstrating our unique value to potential customers. Quote, negotiate, and close deals with new customers, ensuring mutually beneficial partnerships. Collaborate with internal teams (operations, customer success, IT) to ensure smooth onboarding and satisfaction of new clients. Monitor market trends, competitor activities, and industry developments to identify new business opportunities and refine commercial strategy Achieve and exceed quarterly and annual sales targets for new customer acquisition. Maintain accurate records of all sales activities, leads, and opportunities in the company's CRM system. Provide regular reports on sales performance, market insights, and forecasts to senior management. Candidate Profile Bachelor's degree in Business, Sales, Marketing, or a related field. 10+ years of proven experience in B2B sales, 5+ years of leading high performing teams. Demonstrated track record of successfully acquiring new customers and meeting or exceeding sales targets consistently. Understanding of the construction, engineering services, HVAC industry and current market trends a plus but not required. Excellent communication, presentation, and negotiation skills. Ability to build and maintain relationships with C-level executives and decision-makers. Proficiency in CRM systems and Microsoft Office suite (knowledge of CAD/CAM, Autodesk a plus) . Travel of up to 50%. Interested in Learning More? 180one has been retained by Superior Duct Fabrication to manage this search. If interested in learning more about the opportunity, please contact Tom Haley / 503-334-1350 / tom@180one.com .
Director of Finance, Credit and Collections About the Company At Papé, our roots reach back to 1938 when our founder acquired his first capital equipment dealership in Oregon’s Willamette Valley. With 4,000 employees working in 150 locations across 9 western states, Papé has become the West’s leading supplier of capital equipment, representing brands such as John Deere, Kenworth, Hyster, Ditch Witch, and many other top-tier brands. Now, four generations strong, the value of an honest handshake and a square deal continues to drive our success and that of our customers. It’s a promise E.C. Papé made over 85 years ago – a commitment we intend to keep. About the Position The Director of Finance reports directly to the CFO and is responsible for leading the financial operations of the company, ensuring robust credit, collections, and cash application processes, accurate reporting, and compliance with tax and legal obligations. This position oversees a broad set of financial activities and teams, supports executive decision-making, and collaborates across departments including Human Resources, Sales, Legal, and IT. Essential Duties and Responsibilities C redit Oversee the full credit lifecycle, including: Credit investigations, credit extension, and denials with corresponding documentation. Management of online and paper credit applications through a software provider. API to Credit Bureau for all applicants. Development of Credit Report Scorecard through Credit Bureau. Administration of welcome and denial letters. Maintenance of documentation, maintenance of customer account details, contacts, invoice delivery preferences, and account change requests. Cash Account Set Up process and auditing. Collections & Risk Management Lead consistent collections process and procedures across all operating companies. Collections, unapplied payments, Account Status Reviews, Dispute Management, Customer account maintenance and reconciliation, including Adjustments, Journal Entries, Sales Tax Adjustments, and Sales Tax exemption certificates. Consistent use of Credit Release System designed to require document releases for customers over their credit limit. Resolve unapplied payments. Bi-Monthly Dispute Report Tracking. Bi-Monthly Aged AR Reports, including Aged Whole Goods, Rentals, COD Accounts, and accounts Over 60 Days Past Due. Refunds when necessary. Credit risk reporting to Credit Bureaus. Scorecard development. Use of 3rd-party agencies and outside attorneys. Bankruptcies claims. Repossessions, auctions, legal actions, and chargebacks. Fraud tracking and escalation processes. Accounts Receivable Direct accounts receivable operations. Cash Application and Payment processing. Oversight of daily payment processing, including: Payments through our Lockbox, ACH/Wire payments, Pape Online Payment Portal, collection of credit card payments through our collections software, and Pape Pay. Posting of all Customer account payments and financial adjustments. Oversight of Lockbox operations, chargebacks, returned checks, and virtual lockbox administration. Ensure timely processing of HR member payments for benefits. WEX – US Forest Service credit card payments. Pacific Rim Funding Review of new loan applications. Collection of payments, posting of payments, and resolution of returned checks or payments. Reconciliation of general ledger. Repossessions, auctions, bankruptcies, legal action. Aging Report distribution. Bad Debt and Reserves. Merchant Agreements Management of Merchant IDs, Visa, MasterCard and Discover, American Express, and collection software Merchant IDs. Ordering of New Merchant IDs during acquisition and organic growth. Contract Negotiations. Support contract negotiations with financial vendors and partners. Reporting & Financial Oversight. Deliver routine and ad hoc reporting, including: Monthly: Currency, Bad Debt, Reserves, Finance Income, Extended Terms, Contra, Recourse & Residual Guarantees, and Account Status Reviews. Annually: Unclaimed Property/Escheatment. Credit Bureau contract negotiation, user access reviews. Create an annual Budget & track progress toward financial goals. Coding and payment of departmental AP invoices. Annual Audits with Banks and Public Auditing Firm. Leadership & Staff Development Supervise Credit Managers, AR Manager, Credit Administrators, Credit Analysts, Credit Specialists, and office staff. Indirect reporting of Finance Managers, including: -Oversight of Contracts and payment of Commissions earned. -PMH – Contract Overages. -PMI – Insurance. -Finance Manager Annual or Bi-Annual Meetings. -PMH Annual Update for user access at Equipment Finance company. Hiring, onboarding, performance evaluations, and ongoing training (internal and external). Timecard oversight, overtime management, and weekly/monthly performance meetings. Coordinate with GMs and internal stakeholders to resolve escalations and align operations with strategic objectives. Internal Training of company and branch staff on procedures for: -Cash Deposits, Credit Card Report and Lockbox Remittance, and Scanning. Training Manuals. Systems, Procedures & Documentation Ensure accuracy and usability of financial systems, working closely with IT. Maintain up-to-date procedure manuals, training guides, internal/external forms, and departmental policies. Implement standardized practices for documentation, statement contacts, and customer profiling. Special Projects & Departmental Collaboration Participate in major cross-functional initiatives and support internal partners in Marketing, Sales, Legal, and HR. Represent the finance function in FM meetings, including travel logistics and agenda planning. Oversee public-facing forms, including credit applications. Oversee internal-facing forms, including Credit Card On File Approval documentation, credit card reporting, cash deposits, and check remittances. Manage Access of Customer Profile Levels throughout all Operating companies. Candidate Profile • Bachelor’s degree in finance, accounting, or related field. MBA or CPA preferred. • 10+ years of progressive financial experience, including 5+ years in a leadership role. • Strong knowledge of AR, credit policies, financial reporting, and sales tax regulations. • Proficiency in financial platforms and ERP systems. • Exceptional communication, organizational, and leadership skills. Interested in Learning More? 180one has been retained by Papé Group to manage this search. If interested in learning more about the opportunity, please contact Lisa Heffernan / 971.256.3076/ lisa@180one.com .
