News

US-based manufacturer St Croix Rod has promoted two of its team to key roles within the organisation, which also encompasses the SEVIIN reels, St Croix Fly and Rod Geeks brands.

Ryan Teach, formerly product manager and brand manager, has been appointed to the newly created position of vice-president of innovation while former national sales manager Dan Johnston becomes director of sales.

St Croix CEO Scott Forristall explained: “St Croix has always been and will always be an angler-focused company. We have grown significantly over the past five years but that growth hasn’t come from any simple desire to become larger. It’s been a deliberate response to the needs of anglers, fuelled by our unique ability and desire to provide new and better products that help them enjoy fishing even more.

“That takes imagination and innovation, but it also requires experienced leadership. Ryan and Dan have proven their ability to spearhead the desired growth of our brands through creative execution and by always putting anglers at the forefront of our decision making.”
As a new member of St Croix’s Executive Leadership Team, Ryan will head up the product-development activities of all the brands.

He said: “I’m grateful to the Executive Team for entrusting this role to me but I’m most excited about what actually having a newly created vice-president of innovation means to our anglers.

“It’s an outward show of our continued commitment to support anglers with new products that deliver better fishing experiences on all fronts. Our product, engineering, operations, marketing and sales teams are completely aligned in this commitment and everything we’ve done during my tenure with St Croix has been for that purpose.”
A 25-year veteran of St Croix’s sales team, Danwill serve an expanded role in his promotion to director of sales for the St Croix and SEVIIN brands.

Dan added: “I’ve committed the great majority of my career to St Croix because of my love affair with the brand and its people. St Croix’s values align with my own, and because of that, this has never felt like work.

“I’m surrounded every day by an incredible team, which includes everyone from our passionate and skilled employees to our anglers to our hardworking reps and dealer partners. It really is a family here and we work, learn and grow together.
“The fishing industry is changing, and part of my job is helping our partners navigate those changes. But fishing – at its core – remains the same; it will always be about fun and the other unique rewards it delivers to each angler. That can never be overlooked or forgotten. But from an angler’s perspective, it’s becoming difficult to know if a brand they used and trusted yesterday is the same company that’s worthy of their trust and business today. It’s our job at St Croix – every day – to prove that we are.”

Scott concluded: “Working with the rest of our team, Ryan and Dan have consistently developed and delivered the kinds of meaningful innovation and leadership that create better fishing experiences for growing numbers of anglers.

“The St Croix Executive Team is excited to move Dan and Ryan into these expanded roles where their creativity, work ethics and fishing knowledge will accelerate and expand our mission and promise to give anglers the upper hand on the water.”