VF Corp., the Denver-based parent of brands including Vans, The North Face, Timberland and Altra, is eliminating 600 office-based positions or 1.7 percent of its existing workforce, according to a report by the Denver Business Journal last week that was confirmed by the company. In a letter to employees, obtained by the newspaper, VFC president and CEO Steve Rendle described the job eliminations as necessary “to align our people and capabilities with our highest strategic priorities.” The job eliminations are said to be companywide, not in Denver only, and include about 300 unfilled positions.

An event taking place later this month called Take the Lead intends to “center the experience of women/femme of color who work in the running industry.” The in-person only event is set for Sep. 25-27 in Seattle at the Brooks Headquarters. Described as a retreat, Take The Lead is designed to help women and femme of color find a career and a support system within the running industry. It will include career development programming, community building, as well as mentorship. With research led by the Running Industry Diversity Coalition (RIDC), one of the things that will be addressed at the Take the Lead event is the lack of employment data, specifically on race/ethnicity diversity in the running industry. For more information on attending Take The Lead, visit https://raceroster.com/events/2022/62141/take-the-lead-retreat

‍‍Outdoor Industry Association (OIA) announced two returning directors as well as two new incoming directors to its board: Frazier Blair, Orvis Company VP Merchandise Planning; Sara Ellis, W.L. Gore & Associates Global Product Specialist, GORE-TEX Product Technology for Consumer; José G. González, Latino Outdoors Founder and Avarna Group Partner; and Shawn Gorman, L.L. Bean, Inc. Executive Chairman. The OIA board of directors provides guidance for the organization’s overall strategic direction, establishes policies and positions, and monitors the association’s financial health, programs, and overall performance.