Burton Snowboards has appointed Caroline Brown, former global brand president of The North Face, to its board of directors. The move brings an executive with decades of experience in outdoor apparel, fashion and global brand management to the Vermont-based snowboard company as it approaches its 50th anniversary in 2027.
Brown most recently oversaw The North Face’s worldwide brand strategy and business operations as part of the VF Corporation Global Leadership Team. Her appointment adds another experienced outdoor industry executive to Burton’s leadership following the company’s recent hiring of a new CEO.
In the appointment announcement, Burton owner and board chair Donna Carpenter praised Brown’s ability to balance a brand’s history with the need to attract new customers.
“She knows how to honor the authenticity of an iconic brand,” Carpenter said, emphasizing Brown’s experience evolving established companies while maintaining their cultural relevance.
From Luxury Fashion to the Snowboard Industry
Before joining The North Face in 2024, Brown built a career spanning some of the world’s best-known fashion companies. She served as CEO of Donna Karan International and DKNY, president of Carolina Herrera and U.S. CEO of Akris. She began her career at Giorgio Armani, spending more than a decade in marketing and communications leadership positions.
Brown also served as managing director at Closed Loop Partners, an investment firm focused on sustainability and innovation, where she oversaw investments in sustainable solutions for the fashion and beauty industries.
Her board experience includes positions with VF Corporation and Eileen Fisher. She has also advised entrepreneurship and sustainability initiatives at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
Brown described Burton as a company with deep roots in snowboarding culture and said she looks forward to contributing to its future.
“I am thrilled to contribute to this path forward,” Brown said.
Another Major Leadership Appointment for Burton
The appointment comes less than two months after Burton named Denny Bruce its new chief executive officer, replacing longtime CEO John Lacy, who departed earlier this year.
Bruce officially took over September 21, succeeding Donna Carpenter, who had served as interim CEO following Lacy’s departure in June. Carpenter remains Burton’s owner and board chair.
Bruce previously held senior roles at Vans, Dickies, Skullcandy and Traeger before becoming CEO of outdoor cooking equipment company Gozney. His connection to Burton dates to 2003, when he joined the company as its Mid-Atlantic brand manager.
Founded by Jake Burton Carpenter in 1977, Burton has grown into one of snowboarding’s most recognizable brands, producing snowboards, boots, bindings, outerwear and accessories.
The privately owned company’s board serves as a group of advisers guiding its long-term direction. Brown’s appointment adds experience in global brand development and apparel as Burton prepares to enter its sixth decade in business.
