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Crankbrothers' Orlandella Moving to Alaska

Published March 23, 2010

LAGUNA BEACH, CA (BRAIN)—After more than seven years with Crankbrothers, Christina Orlandella is leaving her role as the company’s marketing director for sights (far) north.

Orlandella is saying goodbye to the sunny town of Laguna Beach, California to move to Girdwood, Alaska. Orlandella's husband has taken a position as executive chef of a restaurant at the base of Alyeska ski resort. She will leave the company on April 9 to make the 3,700 mile drive north.

“This is a huge dream of ours, to move to a small ski town," Orlandella said. “The fact that it’s in Alaska makes it even more of a life adventure. We love it there. My one regret is that I’m leaving Crankbrothers at a very exciting time of growth for the brand. My role here has been a dream job in every sense. It’s an extraordinary company that I've had the joy of helping grow over seven and a half years, filled with wonderful people that I will always stay close to. The next person to take over the marketing role here will be very, very fortunate.”

“Christina was the first person to join us in 2002 as we re-launched the brand and has been the only marketing director the company has ever had," said company director
Andrew Herrick. “We are not saying goodbye to her as she is our friend and we plan to see her as often as possible even if that means we have to go heli-skiing every month.
We have already begun the recruiting process to run our global marketing. It will have to be a very special person.”

During her time as marketing director of Crankbrothers, the company has grown from four to 28 employees, won numerous design awards and merged with the Selle Royal group
of Vicenza, Italy.

“I’m accepting donations of wool socks, light bulbs and firewood," Orlandella said. “And I want to make two things clear: I can not see Russia from my front door, and I am not going rogue.”

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