Confluence Watersports is bolstering the Harmony and Adventure Technology brands by creating an independent Accessories Division. Chris Pageau has recently been hired as general manager to lead the new division. Adventure Technology (AT), the top end paddle manufacturer in the Confluence family, will join the rest of the Confluence brands at the Easley, S.C. production facility.

“We see huge potential in what we can offer our retail partners if we nurture and commit to these brands (AT and Harmony) with focused attention and unified leadership,” said Sue Rechner, CEO of Confluence Watersports. “We’re very pleased to have Chris join the team at an early stage in the process. He brings an energy and expertise that will benefit this important sector and keep focus on maximizing the respective brands’ heritages.”

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Confluence Watersports is building for a strong future. The company has invested in several key positions to improve production and overall quality of experience for its employees and customers. Larry Knust has been hired as chief operating officer. Shane Cobb is the new vice president, human resources; and Barbara Tobin has been named the customer service director. All three were hired in late second quarter 2009.

“We have an opportunity to invest internally, for the benefit of our staff and external partners – and we’re making the most of it,” said Sue Rechner, CEO of Confluence Watersports. “We’re fiscally stable and want to ensure that we’re building our processes and our culture for a long and fruitful future. We’ve chosen three experts in their fields to help us do this, and we welcome them to the team.”

Larry Knust, the new COO, is an expert in production efficiency. He will be setting long-term manufacturing strategies including introducing more robust processes and implementing lean and six-sigma. Prior to joining Confluence, he held senior operations and management roles at Tarkett Wood, Kimball International, and Douglas & Lomason.

Shane Cobb, the new vice president of human resources, is developing and implementing initiatives that promote employee satisfaction and ultimately result in consumer satisfaction. Cobb will work on training and career-tracking tools, workplace improvements, and compensation systems that support employee retention and recognition. Most recently, he was with the book wholesaler, Baker & Taylor. Prior to that, he held senior positions at Dixon Ticonderoga Company, Wyndham Hotels and Zale Corporation.

New customer service director, Barbara Tobin, is tasked with building the best customer service team in the industry. Working closely with every department, Tobin will ensure a positive experience for retailers and consumers in every Confluence interaction. Most recently at Zwilling J.A. Henckels, where she brought the customer satisfaction rate up to 100-percent, Tobin also led the customer service departments for Xerox and Gannett.

The biggest outdoor show of the year kicks off in just a few more days in Salt Lake City, Utah! We’ll be introducing our new 2009/2010 products for the first time. We’re launching a liveblog that will be updated throughout the show, covering all of these new products and anything else of interest at the show. You don’t want to miss it!

The site’s now live, check back frequently starting Sunday, July 19th!

Confluence Brands Outdoor Retailer Liveblog