MORGAN HILL, Calif. (BRAIN) — Slate Olson is leaving Specialized, where he has been chief marketing officer since early 2015. He is being replaced by long time Specialized employee Mark Cote, an engineer who has led Specialized's Advanced Concepts department. Cote will now lead the company's global marketing and advanced technologies.
"Over the last nine years at Specialized, Mark has developed a deep understanding and appreciation for our brand and is uniquely qualified to help connect product and marketing," Specialized's president, Mike Sinyard, told employees last week in a memo.
Olson's last day is Jan. 13. He said he decided to leave for personal and family reasons and plans to move to Portland, Oregon.
"Honestly this is one of the hardest departures I've made," OIson told BRAIN on Wednesday. Olson's wife, an MD, plans to resume her medical career in Portland. "I've been dragging her around for the better part of five yearsand she hasn't been able to have a practice," said Olson, who grew up in Eugene, Oregon.
Before joining Specialized, Olson was chief marketing officer for Rapha and lived in London for several years.
