Hans Nutz joins industry veterans Bob McDonough and Mark “Snowy” Robertson as a fellow lead designer at Confluence Watersports. Also joining the design and engineering teams are two new engineers: Andy Robinson and Geoffrey Bergmark.
The new hires will join multidisciplinary teams Confluence Watersports uses to design its Wave Sport, Dagger, Perception, Wilderness Systems kayaks and Mad River Canoes.
Working in concert with athletes from the Wave Sport and Dagger pro teams, as well as the experts on the Wilderness Systems Pro Staff each designer is joined on a team by an engineer and a product manager. The team concept focuses on collaboration to ensure that every boat that reaches the market will display the strongest blend of inspiration, performance, quality, materials innovation, and consumer appeal to maximize retail opportunity.
“The depth of knowledge in our design and engineering teams is a major point of difference for us,” said Sue Rechner, CEO of Confluence Watersports. “Theyre incredibly talented individuals whose skills and vision complement those of their colleagues. Since their backgrounds vary, they each draw from different professional and life experiences to solve design dilemmas and challenge existing constraints of boat design. Were very proud to have each of them on our team and look forward to what we can all accomplish together.”
Nutz holds a master’s of industrial design. He’s been part of award-winning design teams in several industries and wrote a thesis on consumer needs in recreational markets. Engineers Robinson and Bergmark bring further “design for manufacture” expertise to the Confluence brand teams. Robinson is a South Carolina local with vast experience in mold design, tool and mechanical design, and plastic design engineering. Bergmark’s engineering focus is mechanical design. His background as an elite cyclist and trainer influences his work in the outdoor industry.
