Gert Boyle has been tough from the start. She and her family fled Nazi Germany in 1937 and settled in Oregon, USA. In Germany, her Jewish father, Paul, owned the country’s largest shirt factory until it was seized by Nazis. When the family arrived in Oregon, Paul purchased the Rosenfeld Hat Company, renaming it Columbia Hat Company after the nearby Columbia River. Gert didn’t speak English when she first arrived in the U.S., but that didn’t stop her from mastering her classes. Enrolled in first grade as a 13-year-old, she accelerated quickly and graduated from high school three years later.

She attended and graduated from the University of Arizona, where she met her husband, Neal Boyle. When her father died in 1964, Neal inherited the role of president. An avid fisherman, Gert designed the company’s first fishing vest for her husband. Now offering more than hats, they changed the company name to Columbia Sportswear.

When Neal unexpectedly died of a heart attack in 1970, the role of president fell to Gert. By the end of her first year running Columbia Sportswear, sales had dropped 25%. Teetering on the verge of bankruptcy, Gert and her son Timothy worked to diversify Columbia Sportswear’s offerings, branching out into not just outdoor gear but branded casual clothing as well.

As the brand grew in popularity, so did Gert herself. She began starring in Columbia’s advertisements in 1984 as “Ma Boyle,” testing out products on Tim. In 1986, Columbia released its famous “Bugaboo” design, a winter jacket with a zip-out lining that became a sensation, propelling company growth. Through its unique method of only selling in specialty stores, Columbia positioned itself as a desirable brand under Gert’s leadership, and by 1987, the company had US$18.8 million in sales, which exploded to US$353.5 million by 1997. Gert stepped down as president of the company in 1988 but remained its public face through numerous ad campaigns. She also maintained her seat as chairman of the board until her death in 2019. Gert was inducted into the Global Business Hall of Fame in 2005.