The sun rises over golden hills of grass with two wingshooters and their dog.

Leadership Bios

Simon Perkins standing in the forest.

Simon Perkins

President

Simon Perkins is the President of Orvis and the third generation of the Perkins family to lead the company since its founding in 1856. He joined Orvis in 2012 and has filled leadership roles across Merchandising, Adventures, and Brand Marketing teams, serving as Vice President of Brand Marketing and Chief Operating Officer overseeing the execution of the company’s long-term strategic planning.

 

Before joining Orvis, Simon spent 11 years as an upland hunting and fly-fishing guide in Montana, sharing his love of the outdoors, fishing, and hunting with clients. In his time at Orvis, Simon has championed projects aimed at diversifying the sport of fly fishing, such as the 50/50 On the Water initiative and the Breaking Barriers Award, which highlights individuals broadening the fly-fishing audience.  Simon is a current Board Member with Teddy Roosevelt Conservation Partnership (TRCP) and also served on the board of the National Wildlife Refuge Association and Trout Unlimited Headwaters. Simon is a driver of Orvis’s involvement in advocacy for conservation projects in locations such as Bristol Bay, Alaska, and Florida’s Everglades.

 

A graduate of Middlebury College, Simon is the son of Leigh “Perk” Perkins, former Orvis President & CEO, and grandson of Leigh H. Perkins, who purchased The Orvis Company in 1965. 

Robert Bean wearing shooting glasses smiles for the camera with a shotgun over his arm

Robert Bean

Chief Financial Officer & Chief Administration Officer

Rob joined Orvis in 2005 as Corporate Controller. In 2008, he was promoted to CFO and added additional responsibilities in 2010 when he was named COO. In early 2019, he became CFO/CAO which encompasses a variety of responsibilities ranging from Finance to Operations—the breadth and depth of his impact touching virtually every piece of the business over time. 

 

Rob started his career in finance as an auditor for Ernst & Young, became the Assistant Controller at Business Express Airlines, and then moved on to Garnet Hill, Inc. where he filled the position of controller from 1999 to 2005.

 

Rob graduated from the Whittemore School of Business at the University of New Hampshire in 1996.

Carla Feely sits outside by a green river.

Carla Feely

Chief Product Officer

Carla joined Orvis in May 2023 as Chief Product Officer, where she oversees merchandise strategy and execution across all product categories. Her career includes leadership roles at top brands like Gap, Levi’s, Swarovski, Gymboree, and Stitch Fix where she helped double the brand’s revenue growth.  

 

Carla brings deep experience leading merchandising, planning, design, product development, and sourcing. Her experience combined with Orvis’s rich history and credibility is informing the next generation of Orvis apparel and style, and her focus on fiber and fabric innovation and manufacturing practices is helping to maintain Orvis’ leadership position in sustainability and protecting what we love.

 

Carla is a graduate of University of California, Berkeley and the Haas School of Business, a passionate angler and long-time Orvis customer.  

 

Sheila Shekar Pollak smiles while hiking in a forest

Sheila Shekar Pollak

Chief Brand Experience Officer

Sheila joined Orvis in 2022 as Chief Brand Experience Officer. Sheila oversees Orvis’s Customer Experience teams which includes Marketing, Creative, User Experience, E-Commerce, Customer Service, Retail, and Orvis Adventures driving a powerful, relevant, and differentiated brand and customer experience. She has over 25 years of brand strategy, marketing, creative, and communications experience, which includes a very successful 16-year career at Gap Inc. where she helped position Athleta as a purpose-driven, high-growth brand in her role as CMO. Most recently, Sheila was the SVP and CMO of Biossance, a top clean beauty brand. Sheila is currently a strategic advisor to Allyson Felix’s women’s empowerment and shoe brand Saysh.  


A graduate of the University of California-Los Angeles, Sheila also served on the Orvis Board of Directors from 2021 to 2022, at which time she joined our Executive Leadership Team. 

Rebecca Jones smiles widely while showing off a caught fish

Rebecca Jones

Chief People Officer

Chief People Officer Rebecca Jones oversees the people and culture strategy and internal communications at The Orvis Company, headquartered in Sunderland, Vermont. Rebecca brings more than 20 years of diverse people & culture leadership and supports talent across all aspects of the business, including retail stores, manufacturing, warehouse, contact center, and the company's adventure facilities. She’s also responsible for developing and executing the organization’s human capital strategy and oversees the company’s Human Resources division. Rebecca contributes to employee engagement and high performance with relevant, impactful, and growth-oriented acquisition, learning, and talent-development solutions.

 

Rebecca’s experience prior to Orvis was Chief People Officer at European Wax Center (EWCZ). Previous positions include talent leadership roles with an international jewelry brand, a global travel retail organization under the LVMH umbrella in the US, and training, development, and communication roles in Australia and Europe. Rebecca is a graduate of Griffith University in Southeast Queensland, Australia where she grew up and currently calls Dallas, TX home.

Joe Carpenter with a smile holding a giant fish

Joe Carpenter

Vice President – Retail & Customer Service

Joe joined Orvis in November 1999 as Director of Retail Merchandising and Inventory. He currently oversees Orvis’s Retail and Customer Service teams, focusing on the alignment of the customer experience across multiple touch points. Joe has led growth in the Retail Division to 80+ stores in 38 states across the country. His expertise in knowing the Orvis customer and translating that to product that will surprise and delight has driven the business in all channels. 

 

Prior to his current role, Joe was vice president of Retail /Men’s and Men’s DMM and oversaw the Orvis UK Business. Before joining Orvis, he was the president and founder of Rift Valley, a men’s specialty sportswear brand based out of Atlanta, Georgia.

 

Joe is a graduate of the University of Oklahoma.

Frasier Blair smiles on a windy day outside

Frazier Blair

Vice President – Strategic Planning

For the last 16 years, Frazier has combined her love of the outdoors with her passion for leadership in her work with Orvis. She joined Orvis in November 2005 as a women’s control buyer, having spent most of her early career managing and purchasing for specialty outdoor retailers. At Orvis, she has led numerous teams including Inventory Management, Allocation & Replenishment, Sourcing, Tech Design, Quality Department, Product Development & Design, and Merchandising. Frazier is currently Vice President of Strategic Planning and serves to drive the company direction around strategic growth in addition to continue to oversee merchandise planning operation.

 

Frazier serves on the board of the Outdoor Industry Association (OIA), a membership-driven trade organization for the outdoor industry. She also serves on the board of The Green Mountain Valley School (GMVS), an alpine and Nordic ski racing academy. She attended GMVS and went on to race in Division 1 alpine skiing at Williams College.

Steve Hemkens with his golden Labrador on his lap in a boat on a lake

Steve Hemkens

Vice President - Global Brand Strategy

Steve joined Orvis in 2005, as a Product Developer, and was promoted to Merchant, Senior Manager, and Director in the Rod and Tackle department. As a product developer, Steve was instrumental in the inception and development of the Helios™ Fly Rod and Mirage® Fly Reels programs. Steve was promoted to VP of Rod and Tackle in 2014, overseeing fishing, hunting, travel, and adventures, and in 2020 became the business unit leader over the Orvis Dog category as well as our fly line manufacturer Scientific Anglers. Steve’s focus includes overall brand experience across marketing, adventures, and wholesale looking to inspire and engage our customers' experience across Orvis’s brand ecosystem.

 

Steve is a founding member and the executive sponsor of the 50/50 On the Water initiative, the campaign that aims to inspire women to discover the joys of fly-fishing and break down the barriers that keep them from enjoying the sport. Prior to working at Orvis, Steve worked at two industry-leading independent fly shops, Feather-Craft Fly Fishing in St. Louis, Missouri, and The River’s Edge in Bozeman, Montana.

 

Steve is a graduate of the University of Notre Dame, and a board member of Conservation Hawks which works to mobilize hunters and anglers as advocates to fight climate change.

Adam Sigrist squatting in a river holding a fish

Adam Sigrist

Vice President – Finance & Accounting

Adam is the Vice President of Finance and Accounting at Orvis. He joined Orvis in 2014 as the Director of Financial Planning & Analysis and made significant contributions to Strategic Planning, Merchandise Planning, and Marketing along the path to his current role. 

 

Adam joined Orvis from Keurig® Green Mountain where he was the director of Corporate Financial Planning & Analysis. He began his career in commercial and investment banking, most recently with BB&T Bank (now Truist Bank), after graduating from Williams College.