Meet Rick Wittenbraker
Rick Wittenbraker lives the outdoor life and pursues his passion whether he is in the field, on the water, or at his desk. As chief marketing officer for Howler Brothers, an outdoor apparel brand based in Austin, Rick’s love for the outdoors manifests itself every day.
“It’s something I’ve grown up with my entire life, and I relish every opportunity I get to spend time outdoors,” he says. “It doesn’t matter if you catch fish, or whatever the mission of the day is. It’s way more about the day or the experience and everything you learn along the way.”
Fishing is his primary passion, and he picked up fly fishing as an adult. Learning new things is an important part of his outdoor experience.
“If you are a really good angler, or a really good hunter, you know about all the different plants. And you understand weather patterns. And you understand tides. And you learn about all of these things. It’s all a result of spending time out there and caring, as opposed to just trying to get a trophy for your wall or some awesome picture for your Instagram feed.”
His outdoor pursuits fuel his conservation ethic. “It’s about looking out for all the things you care about in the wild,” he says.
A father of three, Rick shares his love for the outdoors with his kids like his parents did with him.
“My son is 11, and he loves to fish and camp and do all this stuff outdoors, and now he’s excited about it and it’s all he wants to do,” he says. “So that means more time for me to go do it, and I get to be with him. Sharing these experiences with family and friends is what it is all about for.”
His outdoor philosophy aligns with that of Howler Brothers.
“It’s way more about shared experiences and the moments in between and the journey is the destination,” he says. “We hope that message is conveyed in the work we do and the content we put out there.”
Whether at work or at play, Rick encourages folks to heed the call.
“Everyone has their own thing, that excites them, that calls them. You should pursue it and embrace it, and all the good things that come when you are doing those things. Like discovering new places and meeting new people, and doing things you’ve never done before. That’s all part of the greater call.”
Rick is honored to be an ambassador for Texas Parks and Wildlife Foundation as he champions the wildness of Texas, the vastness of our Texas spirit, and why we should be inspired to conserve it.
Follow along with Rick Wittenbraker and learn more about the work of Howler Brothers.
