Athletic & Outdoor: Fueling Leadership For The Active World

We recruit globally minded executives who push boundaries to accelerate growth for performance apparel, footwear, accessories, and sporting goods brands that promote healthy, active, and sustainable lifestyles. We find mission-driven omnichannel leaders with a track record of success in retail, wholesale, and ecommerce.

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The Clients We Work With

Noto Group is the go-to executive search firm for active and outdoor industry companies, partnering with brands that are committed to nurturing exceptional workplace cultures. We specialize in connecting good companies with authentic leaders who create environments where employees thrive and are empowered to do their best work.

“These important people choices are driving record sales and profit.”

“Noto Group has been a key partner in building a world-class team at Outdoor Research. As a result, we recruited several proven performers who had the experience, drive, and culture mindset to collaborate, drive change, and thrive. It's no surprise these important people choices are driving record sales and profit.”

Michelle Wardian

Board of Directors

Outdoor Research

"The Noto team is good at staying in touch and bringing people together."

"I recently attended an event they co-hosted where you could really learn something by interacting with other leaders dealing with similar issues.”

Mark Pinger

U.S. General Manager

Arena

"Noto Group provided the best CEO candidates."

“We did due diligence talking to various firms, and ultimately decided that Noto Group’s experience and network would provide the best CEO candidates for our search.”

Bobby Oppenheim

Founder and Chairman

Triple Eight

"We are thrilled with the fit, performance, and results."

“Starting with the intake process, the Noto Group team helped us to develop clarity on the success profile which ultimately enabled us to select the best candidate with confidence. Noto Group expertly guided the interview process with multiple stakeholders in Italy, Amsterdam, and the US. A year later, we are thrilled with the fit, performance, and results of the US GM hire we made.“

Steve Smith

Brand Manager

Castelli

“They understand our business, culture, and the skills we're looking for.”

“The Noto Group was an excellent business partner and sounding board for our extensive recruitment process. They're a team that understands our business, the culture, and the skills we're looking for.”

Simon Atkins

SVP Footwear

Lululemon

 “The speed and ease of the sourcing, and the quality of the candidates they presented was best-in-class.”

Delamon Rego

SVP

Decked

"Noto Group brings qualified candidates that align with our values."

“Noto Group stands out for bringing us candidates that are not just qualified, but also align with our values — and for having a genuine enthusiasm for the business we are building.”  

Bill Banta

CEO

Decked

"One my most trusted partners and a go-to resource for talent acquisition."

“Roy and the team were instrumental in helping me build a complete regional leadership team whose skillset complemented the business’s needs, organizational dynamics, and our culture ambitions. They’ve become one my most trusted partners and a go-to resource for talent acquisition, industry insights and advice on a range of leadership hiring topics.”

Andrew Gritzbaugh

Former GM North America

Aqualung

"They understand our culture and deliver outstanding, talented executives.”

“We have had several engagements with Noto Group as we continued to grow and build out our leadership team. Noto Group proved themselves by working closely with us, understanding our culture and delivering outstanding, talented executives.”

Scott Allan

Former CEO

Hydro Flask

“Noto Group clearly has a pretty deep contacts list, because they knew several people I knew in the sporting goods industry. This built my trust early in the process.”

Robert Erb

Chief Executive Officer

Triple Eight

“It always felt like Noto was balancing my interests with those of DECKED to ensure a true win-win match between candidate and company.” 

Wanda Rozwadowska

VP of Sales

Decked

Case Studies

VP E-Commerce Leads Outdoor Research’s Consumer-Focused Tech Transformation

Outdoor Research was born of the founder’s research-led approach to solving problems that humans face in unforgiving environments.

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Noto Group Helps DECKED Form a Leadership Team Geared Toward Expansion

Since its founding in 2014, DECKED has become a go-to brand for after-market, organization-promoting vehicle accessories, counted on by everyone from first responders and tradespeople to outdoor enthusiasts.

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Triple Eight Lands a Winning CEO to Speed Global Growth

With a rich heritage borne of the New York City skate scene of the 1990s, Triple Eight is a global leader in protective gear for action sports including skateboarding, biking, roller skating, and roller derby.

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How Arena Supercharged Its U.S. Market Through a GM Hire Recruited with Noto Group

In 2016, Noto Group was engaged by the board of competitive swimwear company arena to recruit a General Manager for its U.S. market. The brand was well established in Europe, where it is headquartered, but growth in the U.S. had been missing expectations.

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