Scott Campbell, president and CEO of Rainier Industries, Tukwila, Wash., has announced his retirement, and David Traub is assuming the role of the company’s CEO. Though the leadership is changing, the company’s values and mission to build high quality products and provide world class service remain the same.
Campbell has been president since purchasing the company, now known as Rainier Industries, in 1984. The company averaged 15 percent annual growth under his leadership. During those 34 years, Rainier has grown from a small tent and awning company in downtown Seattle to a diverse, bi-coastal manufacturing company with three manufacturing plants totaling 350,000 square feet and 260 employees. Campbell remains involved as chairman of the board of directors, and in an advisory and consultant role.
Traub joined Rainier in 2010 as a technical designer and was instrumental in the development of the company’s shade product line and the addition of its North Carolina production facility. He quickly transitioned from design to the leadership team, leading the restructuring of Rainier’s management and developing Rainier’s current strategic direction. Continuing his work as COO for the last four years, Traub’s team will focus on creating an exceptional workplace for employees and obsessing over their customers’ experience.
“As a manufacturing company headquartered in a tech hub like Seattle, it’s fun to be in the business of making durable products. We’ve stuck around for 122 years by building world class products and responding rapidly to our customer’s needs, and we’re excited to continue the pursuit of that mission,” Traub said.
Founded in 1896, Rainier Industries began providing tents and supplies to prospectors in the Alaskan Gold Rush. Today, it has evolved into a diverse manufacturer of a variety of products including sports, retail and trade show graphics, tents, yurts, awning & screen systems and industrial fabric products for regional, national, and Fortune 500 companies.