Jackson Kayak is ramping up with new talent in its executive office, production and factory staff. Jackson has added a new Chief Financial Officer, Dave Olson, who will lead
operations with a help from industry veteran John Shepherd,
formerly of Wilderness Systems and co-creator of Confluence. Don Holden
moved up from Atlanta, to take over duties as controller. Tony Lee, is
adding rotomolding management to his duties as research and development
manager.
“We want to be known as the powerhouse of quality and delivery,” said
Jackson Kayak founder, president and namesake Eric 'EJ' Jackson. “Our two main goals for 2008 will be one-week turnarounds and achieving a level of quality never before seen in the paddlesports industry.”
Jackson admitted to concern over some production missteps earlier this year that led to some models of boats being sold out early in this summer's selling season and quality slippage during a massive ramp-up this spring. Not willing to repeat such problems, Jackson said he is confident the team he has created will help his company mitigate growing pains and stay ahead of the curve when it comes to quality and delivery, two issues that are so critical to both retailer success and end-user consumer satisfaction.
Jackson also states, “Most of our dealers are depending upon us in 2008 to be their primary supplier, this is a responsibility we don't take lightly. We have one shot at proving that partnering with Jackson Kayak is the most dependable and profitable way to go and we expect to maintain that trust.”
