| Doug Otto | |
| Birth Name: | Douglas B. Otto |
| Education: | University of California, Santa Barbara (B.A. 1973) |
| Occupation: | Business executive |
| Years Active: | 1973–2008 |
| Employer: | Deckers Outdoor Corporation |
| Boards: | The Whale Beach Foundation |
| Spouse: | Rita Otto |
| Children: | 3 |
Douglas B. Otto (born 1951) is a business executive who co-founded Deckers Outdoor Corporation whose portfolio includes the UGG Australia brand.
Otto was born in 1951 to two high school educators.[1] He attended and graduated from the University of California, Santa Barbara with a B.A. in business economics in 1973.[1] [2]
While at UCSB in 1973, Otto began producing sandals with classmate Karl F. Lopker.[3] [4] [5]
The duo, with Otto handling sales and distribution while Lopker oversaw manufacturing, based the company on durable, long-lasting sandals which catered to the surf community.[6] After buying out Lopker in 1982, Otto decided to license and manufacture other companies' product which resulted in a 1985 agreement with Teva.[6]
Deckers went public in October 1993[7] and in 1995 acquired UGG Australia. The move, engineered by Otto, has been described as a "... brilliant and lucrative business maneuver..."[6] and "one of the great success stories within the consumer category."[8] The UGG brand, with Deckers, gained market traction slowly, but after an Oprah Winfrey feature on a "Favorite Things show sales and popularity increased dramatically.[8] UGGs soon became a fashion trend ingrained in popular culture with celebrities such as Kate Moss,[8] Katy Perry, Gisele Bündchen, and Sarah Michelle Gellar all wearing the brand as well as being shown on Sex and the City.[8]
Otto retired from Deckers in 2008,[2] but revenue continued to climb and first hit $1 billion US dollars in 2010.[9]
Doug Otto is married to Rita Otto and has three children.[1] He is currently the President and Chairman of the Board for The Whale Beach Foundation, roles he has held since 1994.[1] He was honored by UC Santa Barbara in 2009 with its "Distinguished Alumni" award, joining his Deckers Corporation co-founder Karl Lopker who was a 1998 honoree.[10]