Ride Snowboards
Ride Snowboards
July 2007 Caught On TapePosted 06.25.2007
Chuck Mason is a longtime fixture on the management side of snowboard sales. For the past eight years he’s been the national director of sales for Ride Snowboards, but in May he accepted a new position in Vermont with Burton. As the VP of Sales for Burton, Mason will be charged with developing the strategic sales plans for Burton, R.E.D., and Anon in North America as well as overseeing the management staff and independent sales organizations for the three brands.
Though he was busy in all-day meetings his first week on the job, we were able to coerce him into answering a few questions for us about how he’s coping with the transition.
You’re a week into your new life there at Burton, how does it feel?
The Burton crew has been warm and welcoming and the environment at Burton is amazing. When you walk into this place, you have no choice but to be in awe of the snowboarding history that is in this building. Combine that with the passion for snowboarding running through this organization, and I feel right at home.
What excited you most about this job opportunity?
No other company in the world does more for snowboarding than Burton. I am excited about joining a company whose mission so highly prioritizes further growth and success of every aspect of snowboarding.
Aside from having to learn a whole new product line and meeting an entirely new staff, how different do you expect this job to be from your previous position at Ride?
There is no doubt it will be different. I will have more exposure to other global regions in this position, a team of sales managers to work with in managing the North American business, and access to deep resources that run throughout the company. Burton retains strong sales in many categories that have developed into multiple season or year round businesses—that will be a bit of a shift from my prior responsibilities.
When you were at Ride, the brand was in the top five and always scratching for the top few positions. Do you think working for a company that’s in the number-one position in the market will change your perspective on sales/the industry? Why or why not?
It’s a little bit of a different mind-set. You know that being number one, everyone else out there has you in their sights. Beyond that, much remains the same: work hard toward the goals of helping the company develop the right products that riders want, deliver product on time, and strongly support the retail sell through effort.
Do you have any immediate challenges or goals for Burton, R.E.D, and/or Anon?
The beauty of working in sales is that there are always challenges and always goals—nothing out of the ordinary. My plan is to make sure our inventory and delivery are on point for retail delivery this year in addition to getting service and sell through strategies in place. Development of 2009 product is also a priority, as is selling more product between now and the end of 2007.
West Coast to East Coast, Mt. Baker and Steven’s Pass versus Stratton and Stowe—are you making the life transition okay? What are you going to miss the most? What are you anticipating most about East Coast life?
I’ve been fortunate in my career to be able to live and work around some of the greatest mountains on Earth. I spent almost ten years around Summit County and the Vail Valley, another eight in the Northwest. I am now looking forward to exploring the great mountains and parks of the East. I’ve ridden out here a fair amount over the years and I’m stoked to check it out further.
Transworld: FREEZE SKATEBOARDING SNOWBOARDING SURF BMX MOTOCROSSprivacy policy - © 2004 Transworld Media
July 2007 Caught On TapePosted 06.25.2007
Chuck Mason is a longtime fixture on the management side of snowboard sales. For the past eight years he’s been the national director of sales for Ride Snowboards, but in May he accepted a new position in Vermont with Burton. As the VP of Sales for Burton, Mason will be charged with developing the strategic sales plans for Burton, R.E.D., and Anon in North America as well as overseeing the management staff and independent sales organizations for the three brands.
Though he was busy in all-day meetings his first week on the job, we were able to coerce him into answering a few questions for us about how he’s coping with the transition.
You’re a week into your new life there at Burton, how does it feel?
The Burton crew has been warm and welcoming and the environment at Burton is amazing. When you walk into this place, you have no choice but to be in awe of the snowboarding history that is in this building. Combine that with the passion for snowboarding running through this organization, and I feel right at home.
What excited you most about this job opportunity?
No other company in the world does more for snowboarding than Burton. I am excited about joining a company whose mission so highly prioritizes further growth and success of every aspect of snowboarding.
Aside from having to learn a whole new product line and meeting an entirely new staff, how different do you expect this job to be from your previous position at Ride?
There is no doubt it will be different. I will have more exposure to other global regions in this position, a team of sales managers to work with in managing the North American business, and access to deep resources that run throughout the company. Burton retains strong sales in many categories that have developed into multiple season or year round businesses—that will be a bit of a shift from my prior responsibilities.
When you were at Ride, the brand was in the top five and always scratching for the top few positions. Do you think working for a company that’s in the number-one position in the market will change your perspective on sales/the industry? Why or why not?
It’s a little bit of a different mind-set. You know that being number one, everyone else out there has you in their sights. Beyond that, much remains the same: work hard toward the goals of helping the company develop the right products that riders want, deliver product on time, and strongly support the retail sell through effort.
Do you have any immediate challenges or goals for Burton, R.E.D, and/or Anon?
The beauty of working in sales is that there are always challenges and always goals—nothing out of the ordinary. My plan is to make sure our inventory and delivery are on point for retail delivery this year in addition to getting service and sell through strategies in place. Development of 2009 product is also a priority, as is selling more product between now and the end of 2007.
West Coast to East Coast, Mt. Baker and Steven’s Pass versus Stratton and Stowe—are you making the life transition okay? What are you going to miss the most? What are you anticipating most about East Coast life?
I’ve been fortunate in my career to be able to live and work around some of the greatest mountains on Earth. I spent almost ten years around Summit County and the Vail Valley, another eight in the Northwest. I am now looking forward to exploring the great mountains and parks of the East. I’ve ridden out here a fair amount over the years and I’m stoked to check it out further.
Transworld: FREEZE SKATEBOARDING SNOWBOARDING SURF BMX MOTOCROSSprivacy policy - © 2004 Transworld Media
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