HIGH POINT, N.C., Nov. 12, 2009 – High Point University students Nick Ruden, Jeremy Hiatt and Steven Beck, along with friend Zachary Moore, officially kicked off the start of their new clothing company, Port Southern, in high style with a launch party and presentation on the HPU campus.

The event, held Nov. 10 in the Plato S. Wilson School of Commerce ballroom, featured items from the new company - including private label hats and men’s polo shirts.

The four friends began the company on Sept. 1, 2008, when the group was looking for a way to show pride for the South, as well as help the community in some way. Also, they were hoping to create a finer clothing company after they grew tired of coming across a great deal of low-quality clothing.

The group also spoke about the charitable component to their company at the launch party. The friends began the Pineapple Fund, which will work with the High Point Community Foundation to help give back to the needs of the greater High Point community. Port Southern will hold an annual fundraising event, The Pineapple Bash, to help raise money for the nonprofit organization.

The company sells items online, at www.portsouthern.com, as well as Lindsay Odom Limited in High Point.

At High Point University, every student receives an extraordinary education in a fun environment with caring people. HPU, located in the Piedmont Triad region of North Carolina, is a liberal arts institution with 3,700 undergraduate and graduate students from 50 countries and 44 states at campuses in High Point and Winston-Salem. It is ranked by US News and World Report No. 5 among comprehensive universities in the South and No. 1 in its category among up-and-coming schools. Forbes.com ranks HPU in the top 6 percent among "America's Best Colleges." HPU was included in The Chronicle of Higher Education's "Great Colleges to Work For" 2009 listings. The university offers 68 undergraduate majors, 40 undergraduate minors and seven graduate degree programs. It is accredited by the Commission of Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, and is a member of the NCAA, Division I and the Big South Conference. Visit High Point University on the Web at www.highpoint.edu.