Black Diamond Appoints Bill Kulczycki as Vice President and General Manager of Gregory Mountain Products

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SALT LAKE CITY, UT -- (MARKET WIRE) -- 04/04/11 -- Black Diamond, Inc. (NASDAQ: BDE), a leading provider of outdoor recreation equipment and active lifestyle products, has appointed Bill Kulczycki as vice president and general manager of its Gregory Mountain Products division.

Kulczycki comes to the post after four years as president and CEO of outdoor outfitter, C.C. Filson Company. He was previously with Patagonia, where for more than 28 years he held a variety of positions, including vice president of product development, sales & marketing, and international and business development.

As Gregory's VP and GM, Kulczycki will lead the brand and directly manage the senior Gregory team. He will also serve as the liaison to the executive team at Black Diamond, reporting to Black Diamond's CEO Peter Metcalf. Kulczycki's more than 30 years of experience in the outdoor apparel industry will bring additional value to Black Diamond as a member of its executive team.

"I am both excited and exceedingly pleased to have someone of Bill's breadth and depth of professional global experience in the outdoor space taking the reins of Gregory," said Metcalf. "He is exactly the sort of seasoned industry veteran that Gregory needs to guide its next phase of global growth as the innovative leader in the world of specialty outdoor packs and bags. What makes this hire exceptionally gratifying is the fact that it has come about after a 30-year friendship based on mutual respect, matured through the business challenges we have both successfully navigated."

Kulczycki will be based at Gregory's new Salt Lake City headquarters where the company relocated earlier this year following its merger with Black Diamond. Gregory operates as an independent brand with an autonomous product management, research & development, and sales & marketing team pursuing their own global strategies.

"In backpacks, Gregory is known for relentlessly pioneering new suspensions and technologies," commented Kulczycki. "Combine that 35-year heritage of innovation with Black Diamond's operational platform and Gregory's potential is unlimited. I'm honored to join such an iconic and well-respected brand as Gregory, as well as the leadership team at Black Diamond."

About Black Diamond, Inc.
Black Diamond, Inc. (the "Company") is a leading provider of outdoor recreation equipment and active lifestyle products. The Company's principal brands are Black Diamond® and Gregory®. The Company develops, manufactures and globally distributes a broad range of products including: rock-climbing equipment (such as carabiners, protection devices, harnesses, belay and devices, helmets and ice-climbing gear), technical backpacks and high-end day packs, tents, trekking poles, headlamps and lanterns, gloves and mittens, skis, ski bindings, ski boots, ski skins and avalanche safety equipment. Headquartered in Salt Lake City, Utah, the Company has more than 475 employees worldwide, with ISO 9001 manufacturing facilities both in Salt Lake City and Southeast China as well as a sewing plant in Calexico, California, distribution centers in Utah and Southeast China, a marketing office in Yokohama, Japan, and a fully owned sales, marketing and distribution operation for Europe, located near Basel, Switzerland. For more information about us and our brands, please visit www.blackdiamond-inc.com, www.blackdiamondequipment.com, and www.gregorypacks.com.

Forward Looking Statements
Certain statements included in this release are "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the federal securities laws. Forward-looking statements are made based on our expectations and beliefs concerning future events impacting the Company and therefore involve a number of risks and uncertainties. We caution that forward-looking statements are not guarantees and that actual results could differ materially from those expressed or implied in the forward-looking statements. Potential risks and uncertainties that could cause the actual results of operations or financial condition of the Company to differ materially from those expressed or implied by forward-looking statements in this release include the overall level of consumer spending on our products; general economic conditions and other factors affecting consumer confidence; disruption and volatility in the global capital and credit markets; the financial strength of the Company's customers; the Company's ability to implement its growth strategy; the Company's ability to successfully integrate and grow acquisitions; the Company's ability to maintain the strength and security of its information technology systems; stability of the Company's manufacturing facilities and foreign suppliers; the Company's ability to protect trademarks and other intellectual property rights; fluctuations in the price, availability and quality of raw materials and contracted products; foreign currency fluctuations; our ability to utilize our net operating loss carryforwards; and legal, regulatory, political and economic risks in international markets. More information on potential factors that could affect the Company's financial results is included from time to time in the Company's public reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, and Current Reports on Form 8-K. 

Company Contact:
Warren B. Kanders
Executive Chairman
Tel 203-428-2000
Email Contact
or
Peter Metcalf
Chief Executive Officer
Tel 801-278-5552
Email Contact

Investor Relations:
Liolios Group, Inc.
Scott Liolios or Cody Slach
Tel 949-574-3860
Email Contact

Source: Black Diamond

Released April 4, 2011