Kent Outdoors Appoints Randy Hales As New Chief Executive Officer

Kent Outdoors, helping people in the pursuit of outdoor adventures for more than 60 years, today announced the appointment of Randy Hales as its new Chief Executive Officer (CEO).

Hales brings decades of consumer product experience to Kent Outdoors, having held executive positions in several high-growth companies including serving as CEO at Next Level Apparel, the leader in premium blank apparel, CEO at ZAGG Inc., a global mobile accessory company offering top brands in the category, and CEO of Back to Basics, an innovator in kitchen appliances. During his tenure with ZAGG, Hales was honored as the Utah public company CEO of the Year. He serves on the Board of Directors, Boise State University Foundation, volunteers with the Make-a-Wish Foundation, and is a National Association of Corporate Directors Fellow.

“We’re honored to have Randy take the helm as CEO. His appointment marks a significant milestone for Kent Outdoors as we focus on building the brands and positioning the company for future growth,” said Kent Executive Chairman Lee Belitsky. “He brings a transformative leadership style and deep consumer product experience in both direct-to-consumer and business-to-business environments. The combination of his professional background and personal passion for the outdoors make Randy an ideal match for Kent’s brand portfolio.”

“I’m excited and honored to be joining the Kent team,” said Hales. “Kent has an incredibly strong portfolio of brands and a track record for adapting to market changes, driving new product innovation, and leveraging the growing consumer interest in outdoor recreation. It’s an exciting time as the company is positioned for continued growth and market leadership.”

Founded in 1959 in New London, Ohio, Kent Outdoors is a diverse platform of outdoor brands with a broad product set spanning personal flotation devices, wakeboards, water skis, towable tubes, snowboards and more. The Company's portfolio of more than 15 iconic brands comprises industry- leading names such as BOTE, HO/Hyperlite, Connelly, O'Brien, Liquid Force, Onyx, Aquaglide, Barefoot/Fatsac and Arbor Snowboards (managed by agreement with the Arbor Collective), which have all contributed to the Company's long-term success in serving a broad base of action sports participants of all ages and skill levels.