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For most of his life, Peter Bragdon has called Oregon home. He left at 18 for the East Coast to attend college and law school, but couldn't stay away from the state's great outdoors. "The mountains are 60 miles to the east and the coast is 60 miles to the west…," Bragdon says of Portland, Oregon, where he's lived since 1993. But for Bragdon, Oregon is more than his state of residence. The general counsel of Columbia Sportswear Company says its spirit is infused in company culture.

Bragdon, 47, was hired as Columbia's senior counsel and intellectual property director in 1999. He left briefly to serve as chief of staff for Oregon's governor from 2003 to 2004, but when Columbia's general counsel position opened up, Bragdon couldn't pass it up. "I had watched Columbia evolve and was passionate about it," says Bragdon, who returned to the company in July 2004. "Oregonians get out and are active, and we make products for people who share those interests," says Bragdon, who's an active runner and kayaker. "That to me is more fun than making some snuggly outfit you can wear on your couch to watch TV. That's not what drives people here."

Where did you work before Columbia?

I worked at Stoel Rives as an associate in corporate securities and finance. I also served as special assistant attorney general in the Oregon Department of Justice.

How did you first become involved with Columbia?

At Stoel Rives, I was the primary associate working on Columbia matters. When Columbia decided to go public, I was hired as the second lawyer on staff.

What types of legal matters do you handle?

We're a publicly traded company, so we deal with disclosure issues, which is a critical function of my job. Protecting [our brands] against counterfeits is another big issue. I also oversee certain aspects of corporate responsibility, factory compliance, labor rights, sustainability efforts, customs and trade, and community affairs.

How do you protect your brands from counterfeiting?

We work closely with competitors on this issue. Day in and day out, we're battling each other for market share, but when it comes to fighting against counterfeits, we work together. If someone seizes a container that has, for example, half Nike products and half Columbia products, we'll share the cost and deal with that together.

What's the biggest challenge you face in your job?

It's combating the instinct to try to drink from a fire hose. There's so much that goes on, and no one person or one group will be able to catch everything. You really have to walk around an issue from all sides. It's necessary to have a flexible mind.

You started working for Columbia in 1999. What's kept you there?

This is a flat organization; there are lots of opportunities for involvement in different aspects of the company. I'm a lawyer, but I'm always invited to the apparel line presentation. I don't comment on the zippers, or anything, but there's a sense that there's no door here that anyone at any level can't walk into.

Does the job come with any perks?

My kids and I are "product testers."

Do you have a favorite apparel item?

We've got a line of trail-running shoes coming out this spring. One's called the Ravenous, and I'd put it at the top of my list.

I picture Columbia executives decked out in hiking boots and cargo shorts. Am I right?

Well, today I'm in jeans and a fishing shirt—and I don't even fish. The CEO wears shorts on some days, and the executive team often comes to work in shorts and sandals. This isn't a suit-and- tie kind of place. 

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