Columbia Sportswear Company has appointed Topher Gaylord as president of its wholly-owned subsidiary Mountain Hardwear, Inc. He will report to Mick McCormick, Columbia Sportswear's executive VP of global sales and marketing, and will relocate to Mountain Hardwear's Richmond, Calif. headquarters, replacing Kirk Richardson, who has served as interim president since November 2009.

As president of Mountain Hardwear, Inc., Columbia said Gaylord will be responsible for product creation, global sales and marketing of Mountain Hardwear-brand apparel, accessories & equipment, and for global sales and marketing of Montrail-brand trail-running footwear. 

Gaylord, 40, joined The North Face in 1993, serving as managing director of the company's EMEA region from 2000 to 2005 and as president of VF Corporation's Outdoor & Action Sports International brands, including The North Face, Vans, Reef and Jansport, from 2006 through September 2008.  Gaylord also has served as president of 7 For All Mankind within VF's Contemporary Brands coalition since October 2008. 

Interim president Kirk Richardson will assist with Gaylord's integration and then return to Portland, Oregon to resume his prior position as Columbia Sportswear's general manager of footwear merchandising.