Former Far Bank Enterprises CEO buys Eagle Creek

Travis Campbell, the former CEO of Far Bank Enterprises and a highly respected figure in the fly fishing industry, has bought Eagle Creek from the VF Corporation, where he was President of Emerging Brands.

Eagle Creek, a heritage pack and travel gear brand, looked doomed for closure by the end of the year until Campbell’s move to acquire it for an undisclosed sum. All former employees have either been let go or absorbed into other departments at VF.

Campbell left Far Bank in 2017 to join outdoor company Smartwool. For the last 18 months he has been at VF, managing a group of brands including JanSport, Smartwool, Altra and Eagle Creek. Campbell was already planning to leave VF when the opportunity for the takeover arose. “Nobody wanted to see the brand go away,” he said. “It was an economic decision that made sense for VF.”

VF CEO Steve Rendle said the deal was ‘an efficient and value-enhancing alternative to winding down the brand.’

Looking ahead, Campbell said: “I am currently the sole owner and CEO. As the business grows and evolves, I’ll likely bring in outside capital, probably more from banking than outside equity.”

Eagle Creek was founded in 1981 by Steve and Nona Barker. The business is currently around 75% wholesale and 25% direct-to-consumer.