Pamela Reed Catlett '87

Former U of R student-athlete is now a senior vice president at Under Armour

From the track to the boardroom, sports have been a central part of a dynamic career for Pamela Reed Catlett ’87.

Catlett is senior vice president and general manager for Under Armour women’s line and is responsible for the overall business and brand strategy for this fast-growing $1 billion business. She leads a team comprising of designers, product developers, merchants, and marketers who are charged with building creative concepts and products and bringing Under Armour stories to life in the marketplace.

“I believe in the potential, the voice, and the values of this brand and the entrepreneurial spirit of this company,” says Catlett of Under Armour.

This isn’t her first foray into the world of athletic wear—before joining Under Armour, Catlett led her own consulting company after spending 14 years at Nike, where she was vice president of investor relations and later vice president and general manager for the women’s line in North America.

As a student-athlete at U of R, Catlett set many long-standing track records in the 1,500 and 3,000 meters and earned Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC) and All-American honors. She was inducted into the Bulldog Bench Intercollegiate Athletics Hall of Fame in 1992.

“While athletics may have been the hook, what sold me on Redlands was the opportunity for a great education,” says Catlett, a former member of the University’s Board of Trustees.

At Redlands, she double majored in English and Political Science, was a member of Alpha Theta Phi and student government, and spent a semester in Salzburg. She also met her husband of nearly 28 years, Ben Catlett ’87, a fellow athlete; they have two sons, Holden, 19, and Griffin, 17, both lacrosse players.

“We’re that classic Redlands family,” she says. “When your family is founded at Redlands, that always keeps it a special place.”

Looking back, Catlett says she recognizes how precious all of the opportunities she received were, starting with the chance to attend the University of Redlands.

“Redlands shaped me in ways I carry with me every day,” she says. “I was inspired by my professors and my friends to work hard and dream big, and I try to share that with others.”

—Catherine Garcia ’06