PHILADELPHIA (BRAIN) — Advanced Sports International has added three new staffers to its product staff: James Winchester as its Fuji lifestyle product manager, Chris Dietrich as Fuji mountain product manager, and Curt Davis as ASI-Asia director of product and engineering.
“My goal when I came to ASI was to build a product team with the strength and experience to take our brands to the next level,” said ASI director of product development James Peters. “With the launch of Fuji’s new time trial/triathlon bike, the Norcom Straight, last May and the release of Breezer’s Repack featuring our proprietary new MLink full-suspension technology in August, I think we did just that. And with the addition of James, Curt, and Chris – along with powerhouse Ellen Johnson, who we hired as a senior product manager in November – I’m really looking forward to what’s ahead.”
James Winchester comes to ASI with 20 years of experience in the industry with companies such as Bike-alog, Giant, Veltec Sports, and Felt. He served as brand manager for Colnago before most recently working in the product development departments at Schwinn and Specialized.
“I'm looking forward to developing great lifestyle products. Working with the global ASI team, I plan on making the rider experience on a Fuji the best in the industry – from a kid's first bike, to the everyday commuter, to the person looking for fitness or just looking to have some fun,” said Winchester.
He added, “A lot of things brought me to Fuji. I see so much opportunity for the brand in today's retail market, and I’m excited to help drive this growth. I also found an instant camaraderie with the entire company there when I met them, from Pat (Cunnane, ASI's president) on down.”
ASI VP of Marketing Karen Bliss said, “Lifestyle models represent the largest part of the market, and we need to be in it in a much bigger way. Ellen and James have so much experience: 50 years between them. I think we are sending a clear message to our customers that we are stepping up in this category.”
Chris Dietrich assumes the Fuji MTB Product Manager role after serving as product manager for sister brand Breezer, under the expert tutelage of Joe Breeze and Breezer Brand Manager JT Burke. Dietrich joined ASI in 2008 as a Tech Services associate. He’s since been promoted to Warranty Manager, Compliance Manager, SMU/ LE Product Manager, Breezer Product Manager, and now Fuji MTB Product Manager.
“I look forward to this next chapter at ASI. I’m proud to take all that I’ve learned, all the important facets of the business that I’ve come to know through my many positions at ASI to this new post with Fuji MTB. There’s so much potential that I can’t wait to tap into,” said Dietrich, an avid MTB rider and racer.
Lastly, Curt Davis comes to ASI after more than a decade at Cannondale, where his roles ranged from global director of product management for recreation and urban bikes, frame project engineer, pro team liaison, and prototype bike technician. Most recently, he served as director of product and marketing at Dahon in Shenzhen, China.
In a joint collaboration with ASI’s strategic manufacturing partner, Ideal Bike Corporation, ASI has hired Davis in a dual role as its director of product and engineering for ASI’s Asia sales office and as director of design and engineering at Ideal.
Based in Taichung, Davis will take the lead in frame development for ASI-Asia’s customers, as well as be the liaison between ASI’s U.S.-based product team and its factory, Ideal. In his role at Ideal, he will manage the factory’s design and engineering department and assist with frame development and vendor alignment.
“I hope to call on my many years of bike racing and product development to help develop new, innovative products, as well as work with ASI’s product, sales, and marketing teams to meet the needs of the competitive market and riders in Asia,” Davis said. “I really like working with regional partners, listening to their needs, and educating them about products – especially the stories behind the products, the bike’s reason for being.”
