Beth Cross, cofounder and CEO of Ariat International, was born and raised on a working thoroughbred farm just outside of Swarthmore, Pennsylvania. Beth received her BA from the University of Colorado in 1986, and her MBA from the Stanford Graduate School of Business in 1988.
In 1990, Beth and cofounder Pam Parker, a classmate from Stanford GSB, met while working at Bain & Company in San Francisco. While focusing on strategic marketing and product development for Reebok, they saw an opportunity to apply the principles of athletic shoe technology and sports marketing to the equestrian footwear market.
In 1992, Ariat International was founded, and the first Ariat riding boots shipped in 1993. Today, Ariat is the largest equestrian footwear and apparel brand in the world, with over 6,500 retail locations and a team of 440 employees located in offices in Northern California, the UK, China, Mexico, and Japan. Ariat continues to lead the market in designing, developing, and manufacturing the most innovative footwear, apparel, and denim for the world’s top equestrian athletes.
Beth is a member of the Stanford Graduate School of Business Advisory Council, and is a past member of the Stanford GSB Management Board. She currently sits on the board of directors of the Two Ten Footwear Foundation as well as the Compassion Institute. Beth is also an active member of the Barbary Coast/Exiles Chapter of Young Presidents Organization (YPO). She currently resides in San Mateo, California, with her husband, and they have three grown children.