Gotcha Surf Wear to Join 2nd Winkler Venture

Marvin Winkler is putting his Gotcha surf wear company under the aegis of an interactive media company he helped found three years ago and recently acquired, an executive for the operation said.

Gotcha, which licenses the name to apparel makers worldwide, will fall under the umbrella of Broadband Interactive Group, said Ian Cairns, a former surfing champion who will step in today as BIG’s president.

Privately held BIG, which was being liquidated when Winkler acquired the assets, also owns the rights to Bluetorch Media, which produces television and Web programs, and BIG Technologies, which is developing interactive television technology. Winkler, chairman and chief executive of Gotcha, will hold the same positions at BIG, Cairns said.

Winkler paid “pennies on the dollar” for assets valued at $8 million to acquire BIG and its divisions two months ago, Cairns said. Winkler had helped start the company with funds that included more than $10 million from Broadcom Corp. founders Henry T. Nicholas III and Henry Samueli. BIG technology and Bluetorch television and Webcast productions operate on Broadcom communications chip technology.

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James S. Granelli