Sparx Hockey, the maker of the Sparx Skate Sharpener, appointed Steve Jones as the company’s vice president of marketing and customer acquisition, and Mike Carpenter as vice president of finance and administration.
The Sparx Sharpener is an affordable, automated product that allows anyone, anywhere, with no prior skate sharpening experience, to easily sharpen hockey and figure skates with pro-level accuracy. Over 5,000 customers in the U.S. and Canada are currently sharpening their skates with Sparx, including individuals, families, teams, rink operators and pro shops.
“Sparx Hockey is continuing to grow and has significant momentum in the hockey industry as players from around the world are choosing the precision and convenience of the easy-to-use Sparx Skate Sharpener,” said Russell Layton, founder and CEO, Sparx Hockey. “By bringing on two veteran leaders we are strengthening our leadership team to capitalize on our current momentum and strategically grow the Sparx Hockey brand in the future.”
Jones brings more than 20 years of marketing and communications experience to the Sparx team, most recently with Performance Sports Group and Bauer Hockey. While at Bauer Hockey, Jones led the brand marketing efforts of the iconic brand and helped propel Bauer Hockey into the industry’s top market share position during his 12-year tenure. A graduate of the University of New Hampshire, Jones also brings a wealth of experience in corporate communications, digital marketing and sports marketing.
“Steve brings an impressive level of experience from the hockey industry and his knowledge and background are extremely important for the future growth and success of Sparx Hockey,” Layton said. “In addition to his vast industry knowledge, Steve has a rich history of helping to build some of the most iconic brands in sports, including Bauer Hockey and Nike, which will be invaluable as we look to further develop our brand.”
Carpenter most recently served as vice president of corporate FP&A for Cimpress, the parent company of Vistaprint, where he led the financial planning and analysis team, as well as the capital allocation process. A graduate of both Cornell University and the University of Chicago Booth School of Business, Carpenter has held roles of increasing responsibility throughout his more than two decades of experience including finance leadership positions with PAREXEL, Merck Millipore, Lake Region Medical, the Tampa Bay Devil Rays and Yum! Brands.
“Mike is a versatile finance executive who has worked in publicly traded, family owned and private equity backed companies, and his broad range of financial experience and leadership will be vital as we continue to expand our business,” Layton said. “As a company that continues to grow and evolve, it is important that we enhance our finance function and Mike’s experience is a strong fit for where we are today as a company, as well as where we plan to go in the future.”
