(PRESS RELEASE) BEND, OR — Ruffwear, the originator of outdoor performance gear for dogs on the go, has announced that outdoor industry entrepreneur, Rob Little, will be joining the company as the new brand President. Little will succeed interim president Will Blount, who will stay on as an advisor during the transition.
Chosen, in part, for his business acumen and diverse career spanning more than two decades, Little is an accomplished leader who holds an MBA from Wharton Business School, worked internationally as a Peace Corps Volunteer and served as an engineer with Lockheed Martin. Inspired by his love of the outdoors, Little co-founded Cairn, a subscription service that connected outdoor brands to adventurers that became one of the fastest-growing private companies in America before it was acquired by Outside, Inc. During this time, Little also sat on the Board of the Oregon Outdoor Alliance, and served as a mentor at Bend Outdoor Worx, the outdoor industry’s premier startup accelerator.
Little will take the lead from Ruffwear interim president Will Blount, who has led the brand for more than twenty years. Under his stewardship, Blount helped Ruffwear forge a two decades-long path of growth and success as a category pioneer while maintaining the brand’s culture and mission.
“Rob carries with him a spirit that feels familiar to us at Ruffwear,” said Will Blount, interim president of Ruffwear. “His life on the move, chasing experiences across the globe, mirrors the adventure that fuels our own work. Growing Cairn into a thriving community of outdoor explorers shows he’s not just a traveler but a builder, someone who sees possibility and rolls up his sleeves to bring it to life. That blend of curiosity, hard work, and creation is exactly what inspires us, and I’m excited to see where we’ll go together.”
“I have had the opportunity to cross paths personally and professionally with Rob for more than a decade,” said Patrick Kruse, R&D Director & Founder of Ruffwear. “Through every interaction, I have been inspired by Rob’s ability to connect with and bring people together from diverse backgrounds, fulfill his commitments, and build a sustainable culture. He approaches relationships and challenges with poise and grace and understands both people and business through a common language of outdoor adventures and the challenges and triumphs that come with them. I am excited for Ruffwear as Rob helps us see things through a new lens and enhance how we engage with our pack members, partners, and customers.”
Little, who calls Bend Oregon home, will join the Ruffwear leadership team in developing strategies to inspire strong connections between dogs and humans outdoors, drive continued growth across the US, UK, EU, and APAC regions, and enrich our Ruffwear communities globally. His connections in the local Bend community, successful entrepreneurial and business acumen, and shared passion for outdoor exploration align strongly with Ruffwear’s core values.
“Ruffwear has built a legacy of innovation and authenticity in the pet and outdoor industries,” said Little. “I’m thrilled to join the Pack, to learn from this amazing team, and to help write the next chapter of growth for a brand that inspires so many dogs and their human companions to get outside.”
Since 1994, Ruffwear has blazed new trails in the creation of purpose-made, functional gear that strengthens the connection between dogs and humans through outdoor pursuits. Along with a desire to push boundaries and explore, Ruffwear is dedicated to achieving impactful sustainability goals – sourcing materials from environmentally responsible partners, increasing the lifecycle of products, and maintaining an agile supply chain to protect humans, their dogs, and the world they play in.
Based in Bend, Oregon, Ruffwear sells its products through specialty pet and outdoor retailers as well as at www.ruffwear.com.
About Ruffwear
Ruffwear’s mission is to build performance dog gear to enhance and inspire exploration for outdoor adventurers and their human companions. Since 1994, Ruffwear Performance Dog Gear has combined technology, quality, fit, and function to facilitate its belief that every dog is an explorer. The brand is committed to enhancing the lives of all dogs and their human companions through relationships with The Conservation Alliance, local dog adoption groups, and working dog organizations across the globe.