SALT LAKE CITY (BRAIN) — Kent Outdoors named Randy Hales CEO. Hales held previous CEO positions at Next Level Apparel; ZAGG Inc., a global mobile accessory company; and Back to Basics, a kitchen appliance company.
"We're honored to have Randy take the helm as CEO," said Kent Executive Chairman Lee Belitsky. "His appointment marks a significant milestone for Kent Outdoors as we focus on building the brands and positioning the company for future growth."
Private equity-backed Kent Outdoors — no relation to Kent International, the New Jersey-based mass market bike maker — purchased Kona Bicycles in 2022. In April, Kent Outdoors announced the bike brand was for sale. That news came as Kent Outdoors announced a new CFO and a new $100 million credit facility from Eclipse Business Capital, an asset-based lender.
A month later, Kona co-founders Jake Heilbron and Dan Gerhard told BRAIN they repurchased the brand.
Kent Outdoors' products include personal flotation devices, wakeboards, water skis, towable tubes, and snowboards. Some of Its brands are Bote, HO/Hyperlite, Connelly, O'Brien, Liquid Force, Onyx, Aquaglide, Barefoot/Fatsac, and Arbor Snowboards.
"I'm excited and honored to be joining the Kent team," Hales said. "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."
