Lew's announced Wednesday afternoon that the company has hired Chris York as its chief operating officer and that Dave Hinke has been promoted to vice president of product development.
It's the latest round of executive changes for the Springfield, Mo.-based tackle company that announced last week that Gary Remensnyder was taking over as chief executive officer from Lynn Reeves, who is staying on as company chairman.
York (pictured, left) brings 20 years of global manufacturing, distribution and logistics experience to the position, having spent nearly a decade working for companies associated with the sporting goods industry. Most recently, York was vice president of operations for KGPCo, one of the nation's largest single-source supply chain providers to the telecommunications industry.
He also has worked for Jarden Outdoor Solutions, K2 Inc., and KEE Action Sports.
"Chris has a reputation of being a dynamic leader with a proven track record of successfully driving operational initiatives, building strategic partnerships with vendors, and facilitating rapid growth for Angelo, Gordon & Co., Jarden Corporation, Federated Department Stores and others," Remensnyder said. "In addition to his expertise, we also like his engaging-relationship management style which fits our Lew's culture perfectly. We know he's going to be a great addition to our leadership team responsible for driving our own plans for continued growth."
Said York: "I'm a consumer products guy at heart and my previous outdoor products business knowledge make this Lew's opportunity a great one for me. It's bringing me back to a passion sport that has always been a part of my life and remains a family tradition of enjoyment. Lew's has great momentum and tremendous potential, so I'm excited to get started."
York begins his Lew's employment on July 10.
When Hinke joined Lew's in 2015, he served as the company's director of business development and was responsible for reel development and special projects.
He is a sporting goods industry veteran with more than 35 years of experience in store management, distribution sales, product management and retail merchant positions with industry leaders such as Folsom, Galyan's and Bass Pro Shops.
"Developing fishing products is my absolute favorite part of my long industry career," Hinke said. "Not only does it keep me connected to my deeply rooted passion for fishing, it also fuels my competitive business instincts. Adding to the enjoyment of what I do is Lew's ongoing commitment to innovation and I like that challenge, too."
"Dave is a great asset to our company and certainly has earned this promotion," Remensnyder added. "He has a gift for bringing products to market that meet every demand of the business equation from profitability to value to consumer satisfaction."
