SME Welcomes Action Sports Industry Veteran Matt Patterson to its Executive Team. Matt Will Serve as Vice President of Marketing and Business Development for the Action Sports Social Media Empire.

IRVINE, Calif., July 29, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Action sports industry veteran Matt Patterson joins SME as Vice President of Marketing and Business Development. Matt brings nearly twenty years of executive and sales experience, with contacts and ties to action sports brands such as Quiksilver, Volcom and Burton. Patterson will lead the SME brand and shepherd the emerging on-line media presence to its rightful place of prominence within the action sports space. As one of the founding members of Volcom, Matt knows how to lead, manage, and develop brand awareness for the emerging SME mobile and web platforms.  Matt also has an extensive background in web and motion picture content. He was the Website Producer for Quiksilver, Segment Producer for FOX/FUEL TV and Senior Producer of countless film projects including Quiksilver' s critically acclaimed films; THESE COLORS TASTE LIKE MUSIC and KELLY SLATER/PEOPLE SKILLS. Matt and his family grew up in and around the action sports community and his brother Joel Patterson is currently the editor of Surfer Magazine.

(Logo:  http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20110729/LA44143LOGO)

"SME is positioned perfectly to assist action sports brands to bridge the gap between their core and non-core audiences seamlessly and with all the credibility and authenticity they are known for," said Patterson. "We are living in interesting times, very few small brands have survived this recent economic torpor and most of the exciting new developments are coming from the big guys these days. Red Bull, Monster and Nike are the labels kids are in to and we are finding an ever expanding group of influential taste-makers and culture-vultures that are okay with this new twist. It's no-longer a sin to be successful and the action sports industry needs a platform that can speak with credibility to this group."

SME is bringing the action sports community together with its highly anticipated launch of its interactive social networking site, SMElive.com. SMElive.com features a $100k signature online contest series, will host multiple live events, and is bringing smaller contests to local skate, surf, snow and other action sports locations.

The first signature SME contest winner will be announced on Friday August 5, 2011 for the Surf portion of $100k signature series at the Black Bowl Chophouse in Huntington Beach, CA.

SME:

SME is the premiere vertical action sports multiple media site. We create, develop and distribute original content, and contests, both online and offline. We spotlighting young up and coming athletes and artists as we are the authentic expression of action sports, film fashion art and music.

Quiksilver:

Quiksilver, Inc. is the world's leading outdoor sports lifestyle company, which designs, produces and distributes a diversified mix of branded apparel, footwear, accessories, snowboards and related products. The company's apparel and footwear brands represent a casual lifestyle for young-minded people that connect with its boardriding culture and heritage.

The reputation of Quiksilver's brands is based on outdoor action sports. The company's Quiksilver, Roxy, DC, Lib Tech and Hawk brands are synonymous with the heritage and culture of surfing, skateboarding and snowboarding.

The company's products are sold in over 90 countries in a wide range of distribution, including surf shops, skate shops, snow shops, its proprietary Boardriders Club shops and other company-owned retail stores, other specialty stores and select department stores. Quiksilver's corporate and Americas' headquarters are in Huntington Beach, California, while its European headquarters are in St. Jean de Luz, France, and its Asia/Pacific headquarters are in Torquay, Australia. www.quiksilver.com

Volcom, Inc.

Volcom is an innovative designer, marketer and distributor of premium quality young men's and women's clothing, accessories and related products. The Volcom brand, symbolized by The Stone, is athlete-driven, creative and forward thinking. Volcom has consistently followed its motto of "youth against establishment," and the brand is inspired by the energy of youth culture. Volcom branded products are sold throughout the United States and internationally. Volcom's news announcements and SEC filings are available through the company's website at www.volcom.com.

Burton:

In 1977, Jake Burton Carpenter founded Burton Snowboards out of his Vermont barn. Since then, Burton has fueled the growth of snowboarding worldwide through its groundbreaking product lines, its team of top snowboarders and its grassroots efforts to get the sport accepted at resorts. In 1996, Burton began growing its family of brands to include boardsports and apparel brands. Privately held and owned by Jake, Burton's headquarters are in Burlington, Vermont with offices in California, Austria, Japan and Australia. For more information, visit www.burton.com.

For more on SME/LIVE
Media Contact:
Amanda Schwecherl / Event Coordinator
E: [email protected]
P: 949 493 9000
www.smelive.com

SOURCE SME