Berkeley Backpacking Biz - Old School, New School, No School

Signing the Big Deal - MHW joins Columbia (3_13_03)

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[From the Lost Zemitis Tapes: Lauren Herrera shaped Martin's footage into this narrative.]

[Note on the part with Robert Link: before the Colombians would buy MHW, Mt. Link had to be sold.  They considered a guiding business risky and outside their business model. Robert gave Jack $1.00 to complete the purchase giving Robert complete ownership of Mt. Link. After the sale of Mt. Link was complete, we started signing the docs to sell MHW. I think it all happened on the same day. - Martin ]

Transcript:

Deal is agreed on.

Martin Zemitis: I always get yelled at for this. 

Jack Gilbert: Cheers Martin. Beer-thirty.

MZ: Whatcha doin there, Jack? I don’t think this is just any beer-thirty.

JG: Well it's a...were waiting for a we’re waiting for word on a the rather important transaction that I’m sworn to secrecy. Martin, I can’t speak to the camera about  this.

MZ: It's off, Jack. 

JG: What’s off? 

MZ: The camera...

Voice (Al?, Paul?): Martin’s gonna need a year off to edit all this stuff.

 

JG: Bill and I and a few more folks are sitting here so let me…. don’t say anything that you don’t want to be repeated, alright?

Are you still there?

Carl Davis: We’re here.

JG: Ok what happened in the meeting?

CD: Tim is in here and John is in here.

JG: Who else beside Tim?

CD: John.

JG: Oh good. 

Bill Mandel: Hi, Tim.

Tim Boyle: Howya doin?

JG: So what the hell happened?

TB: Well looks like we got a deal!

All: Hey alright! (all)

JG: We preassumed that and we just cracked out a couple of Sierra Nevadas, so a....

[Laughter]

Ok/Alright.

TB: We’re very excited and we can’t wait for the future. So really good.

JG: Thanks for the call and we look forward to seeing you down here.

Various: Alright, Ok thanks a lot.

 

JG: We need to sit on this til Thursday and then all of the sudden...It’ll be for the outdoor industry, it’ll be pretty big news.

Hans Jones: It will be big news. 

JG: Big news. 

Paul Kramer: Although it’s probably less big than we always think ourselves.

JG: Martin, it’s going to be big news.

 

HJ: Alright.

JG: Well for better or worse…

... and oh no I’m doing that in a month, I’m not gonna do that... 

[Laughter. (This is a reference to Jack's upcoming nuptials.)]

HJ: For richer for poorer… he’s practicing. For richer for poorer, In sickness and in health.

JG: Oh no...

?:  ...for the next couple of years.

[Laughter]

JG: ...I can’t joke about that!

 

A "Martin, get to work" interlude:

MZ: Paul hows it going?

PK: Ok, how are you ? 

MZ: Ahh, stressed.

PK: So what are you running around photographing things for.

 

Julie ONeil -  hand in front of face.

Roberta Hernandez: What is up what is up with this video camera thing?

All right, Martin…

MZ: Good morning, Roberta, Don’t touch the lens

RH: I’m not going to touch the lens.

MZ: Hey, Roberta.

RH: What?

MZ: Thank you.

 

Robert Link signs some papers:

Robert Link: Hahah… it’s much calmer in here now, Martin. Sparks were flying.

MZ: Robert, what did you do to the big guy?

RL: Sparks were flying …. Hahaha… earlier…. Hahahahahaha. You know. (Robo)

MZ: So you getting the big guy all worked up.

RL: It’s the last time it’s the last time we get to get in his face really and stir him up.

We’re signing it off, Martin.

MZ: What’cha doing there, Robert?

RL: Signing some sponsorship agreements for both MountainLink and myself. So it’s a good thing.

MZ: Excellent.

RL: ...and we’re moving forward, baby!

 

RL: The official purchase of Mountain Link!

JG: Thank you Robert…. (Jack)

MZ: How much you have there?

JG: I hope I hope you make this into a few more zeros by the time you’re through. Alright.

MZ: Let me zero in on Jack, let me zero in on that real quick here. That’s one big smacker, huh?

 

Signing papers:

Mike Wallenfels: Nothing, just Signing papers, that’s all. 

Background voice: ...one fax came of the merger agreement and the voting agreement...

MW: So we can go back to work tomorrow or the next day or the next day….

(Merger signing footage to music)

Carl Davis and Rick Carpenter: Well guys, Congratulations!!!  It’s going to be great

JG: … is everybody gathering is anybody gathering downstairs? (Jack)

 

Announcement:

JG: Today today is a very significant day in the history at Mountain Hardwear. And a it was actually about 9.5 years ago that we sent up on Gilman Street in Berkeley with a whole bunch of folding furnature and a fax machine… frankly the odds were somewhat against us being successful at that point. But as a couple of minutes ago a press release was just sent out to the world effectively announcing a merger between Mountain Hardwear and Columbia Sportswear.

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Story Copyright
09/12/17