Jesse Northcott, the former CFO of Southern California eyewear brand RAEN, is taking over the CEO role from Jeff Fitzhugh at a time when momentum is high and the brand is experiencing record-breaking profitability.
“We’re on a party wave right now,” Northcott said in an interview with Shop Eat Surf.
RAEN just closed its second record-breaking quarter in terms of profitability, Northcott said. Demand for both its optical eyewear and sunglasses has had record growth, particularly in international markets, and it’s managed to resonate in channels outside of surf through retail partners such as Banana Republic.
“Hats off to the team because to take a brand who went through some great momentum pre-COVID, to come out of that and continue the momentum to me is a testament to the talent that we have on board here,” Northcott said.
Internationally, RAEN products are resonating in Canada, and the company now has a subsidiary based in Germany that services its increasing demand in Europe. RAEN has presence in Japan and Australia, and it has just started dipping its toe in the South American market.
Its best-selling sunglasses design is the Remmy in honey ($184.95), which has been on the market for a decade. It, like many of RAEN’s designs, balances function and fashion, appealing to those living a coastal or outdoor lifestyle, and crossing over into any lifestyle that demands quality at a good price.
“We’ve literally had retailers turn us away and say, ‘No, you guys need to be at $400,’” Northcott said. “And that’s not what we are, right? We want to be at that quality level, but we want to be accessible to people and be affordable.”
Northcott’s Strong Surf, Skateboard Roots
Growing up in Southern California, Northcott dreamed of being a professional surfer and skateboarder.
“But the only thing working against me there was that I sucked,” Northcott said.
Feeling aimless, he joined the Marine Corps, where he took a personal finance class. He realized that every business needs someone well-versed in numbers, and that if he learned finance, he could apply it anywhere, including the surf and skateboard world he loved so much. He registered for college, and shortly after graduating embarked on his career in finance at brands such as DC Shoes, Volcom, and Quiksilver.

Jesse Northcott, RAEN President and CEO. Photo courtesy of RAEN.
Northcott said people will often ask him why he isn’t in sales or marketing because he is so outgoing.
“Maybe I missed my calling there,” he said. “But I’ve always been that finance guy that works really closely with those teams.
Former CEO Jeff Fitzhugh Departs After Nine Years
RAEN’s former CEO Jeff Fitzhugh said he agonized over the decision to end a nine-year run at the company for a new opportunity at De Rigo, the fourth largest eyewear company in the world. In his new role at the Italian house of 19 brands, he’ll stay based in Southern California and visit the headquarters, which is about one hour north of Venice, approximately four times per year.
Fitzhugh said he was particularly proud of RAEN’s development during his tenure.
“It was rooted in surf when the brand started, and now it has completely branched out into the optical channel, doing incredibly well, and also in the boutique channel and Banana Republic,” Fitzhugh told Shop Eat Surf. “The way that we were able to build such a strong brand that could cross over into other channels, I am so proud of that.”
Fitzhugh also said he credited KarpReilly, the private equity firm behind RAEN, for trusting the vision.
“They knew that we knew what we were doing, and they allowed us to do what we need to do – not just grow a brand, but to grow a business and to grow further opportunity,” Fitzhugh said. “And they supported us every step of the way.”
The RAEN Team
Both Fitzhugh and Northcott credit RAEN’s team, which includes people they have both known and worked with for decades such as Adam Quick, director of sales; Jenny Lee, key accounts manager; and Kevin Halonen, demand planner, for the company’s success. And the founders, Justin Heit, Jeremy Heit, and Jordan Percy, are all still involved in the brand.

RAEN Founders Justin Heit, Jordan Percy, and Jeremy Heit. Photos courtesy of RAEN.
Building the team also meant bringing Northcott into the RAEN fold as the company’s chief financial officer in 2022.
Fitzhugh first met Northcott 15 years ago when they were both at DC Shoes and Quiksilver, where they were “joined at the hip,” according to Northcott. Fitzhugh tried to recruit him earlier to RAEN, but Northcott was already committed to his role at tech company Razer.
Since joining RAEN, Northcott said he and Fitzhugh – who he affectionately calls “Fitzy” – were again joined at the hip, with Northcott leading sales meetings when Fitzhugh was out, and Fitzhugh taking over for accounting meetings when Northcott was needed outside of the office. Handing the leadership role over to Northcott felt like a natural progression, Fitzhugh said.
“He is absolutely the right guy to lead the team from here forward,” Fitzhugh said. “I can’t say enough great things about Jesse. He is a true professional.”
Kate Robertson can be reached at kate.robertson@emeraldx.com.