Sarah Bany, Gert Boyle's daughter, steps down from Columbia board

By

Gabriella Lacombe

Published
Dec 11, 2019

Portland, Oregon-based outdoor apparel company Columbia Sportswear has announced that Sarah Bany, a longtime director of the company, will resign from her spot on the board of directors, effective immediately. 

Bany, who has served on the board of directors since 1988, announced her decision on December 9, 2019. According to the company, she will leave in order to focus on administering the estate of Gert Boyle -- Bany’s mother and the former president of Columbia. Boyle passed away on November 3, at the age of 95. 

Bany’s exit marks the latest shift for the outdoor company, which has remained a family business over the years. Boyle was a German-born businesswoman and a Jewish refugee from Nazi Germany, who took over the Columbia business after her husband, Joseph Boyle, died of a heart attack in 1970.

During her time as Columbia’s president and chairwoman, she is credited for growing the business into the billion-dollar company it is today. Gert Boyle’s son, Timothy Boyle, serves as the company’s president and chief executive, and was named acting chairman following her death.

“It has been my great honor to serve as a director of Columbia Sportswear since 1988,” said Bany. “However, as I am now responsible for administering my mother’s estate, I feel that I should step away from the board so that I can fully dedicate myself to that responsibility.”

“We thank Ms. Bany for her many years of service to the company,” said Tim Boyle. “She has been a valuable member of the board whose service will be missed. We fully understand her desire to focus on matters related to Gert’s estate.”

Outside of her former role with Columbia, Bany is the co-owner of Portland-based Moonstruck Chocolates.