Jump to content

Welcome to TheMalibuCrew!

As a guest, you are welcome to poke around and view the majority of the content that we have to offer, but in order to post, search, contact members, and get full use out of the website you will need to Register for an Account. It's free and it's easy, so don't hesitate to join the TheMalibuCrew Family today!

HO HO HO


skisix@38

Recommended Posts

Well, I dont' think Herb is done.  I think they all tend to go make another company- D3 comes to mind.  I don't think it's any coincedence that the D and 3 are combined as this is Denny's third enterprise.

What I will be watching for is where do Eddie and Chet fall?  Those two are the wealth of HO.  Where they go is where the HO customers are going to go.

OK, just for fun, lets try to establish this cast of characters. You know, for those of us who don't have years of skiing history behind us.

I know Herb O'brien, I'm guessing 'Chet' is Chet Railey, Wade Cox was never mentioned in any of this but I'm hoping in my heart of hearts that he lands on his feet.

Eddie...hmmmm...I'm guessing Eddie Van Halen or Eddie Rickenbacher but I can't connect the dots between either of them and waterskiing. And who is CJ?

Eddie Roberts. He is the guy who listens to the skiers like Chet and Wade when they say "I want more turning" or "the ski carries too much speed or not enough speed" and then knows what to change about the ski molds to get the results. A very knowledgeable person. I don't know who the CJ person is.

Link to comment
  • Replies 59
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Top Posters In This Topic

  • skisix@38

    9

  • mlange

    4

  • WakeGirl

    3

  • HOskier313

    3

I'd love to see a family tree of sorts of all the ski company's given all the cross-pollination that's occurred over the years.

Skisix,

I saw the post on SkiFly yesterday about the Fischer ski for the first time and can't find any information anywhere. I'm real curious to see what they do. Given their experience and history I would expect their quality to be great.

Mike

Link to comment

GT: No problem, we all need more clues and I'm happy to help.

Mlange: There is already a lot of hype about the fischer skis. I attribute it to a few rumors and it being winter and most skiers are hanging out at their 'puter waiting for some ski action. I'm no longer a snow skier so I can't say that making snow skis is complimentary to making slalom skis and even at that being good at one may not mean someone is good at the other.

I'm all in favor of competition but to dilute the small niche market even more may mean everyone looses. What I mean here is that we already heard about Jobe's new ski coming on the market and now this Fischer ski. The size of the market is going to be the same and two additions just takes sales away from the other skis and so the mfgs make less $$.

I would love to try the Fischer if and when it comes out just because I like trying new stuff but, what I really hope for is something way different. Like having a RFF and a LFF ski with different bevels on each side. Something Unique to give others a reason to ask why? And then take things in a different direction. My ski has more ability than I do and I'm not saying a new ski that's unique is what I have to have to continue to improve. It just nice to consider the possibilities if a "revolution" in skis swept through.

Link to comment

Skisix,

I completely agree regarding the dilution of the market. But I think a new manufacturer entering the mix from the outside does provide the real possibility of coming up with something totally different and innovative.

I would certainly not want any of the long time guys to go broke over it, though.

It will be interesting to watch.

Mike

Link to comment

Correct me if I'm wrong, but doesn't Herb O'brien own a large part of Jobe sports? The Jobe sports who has hired Andy Mapple to be their lead R&D guy and just introduced a new high end slalom ski that looks strikingly similar to a Monza graphics wise?

So, could it be possible that Herb is making his full trasition over to Jobe, even though he'll have to remain a silent party for a while.

Link to comment
And who is CJ?

I'm guessing it's CJ Vlahovich - Director of sales North America

I came across his business card this morning while looking for something in my Glovebox(funny timing) Crazy.gif . I got it two yrs ago after buying a ski from him.

Edited by Henken
Link to comment
Excellent. There's a name I've never heard before. I wonder where Chris Sullivan ends up in this. He's had a rough couple years I'm thinking.

At least for the short term I'm betting Sully stays with HO. For the last years he has been the brand manager for HO and I'm sure that pays better then doing lessons. Plus he needs to establish he abilities as a brand manager before he can transport them somewhere else. If he doesn't do that, than he's just another skier who couldn't make it in the bidness world.

I would further gues that if the new HO doesn't let Eddie and Chet run free will, they will go with Herb, they may go anyway.

Link to comment
  • 1 month later...

BTW....Mike Ferraro has tendered his resignation as well.....

An open letter I received this morning from Mike:

to all,

When I first got involved in waterskiing back in the early 70's the passion started to grow within. That passion took over me and I became one of the top skiers in the world. I retired in 89 to start a family and to provide a training center for other skiers/wakeboarders with this passion. That combined passion produced some of the biggest names in the sport. My relationship with HO mfg. continued off the water helping with product development . That combined passion produced designs that have and are still breaking records on the water and in sales. HO was a company of passionate people that were interested in the sport and it's growth. I'm sad to say the passion is gone and has also left my body. I feel that it's not fair to my name, family and my students to continue on with out it. As of 1/24/06 I will be resigning from HO Sports and will continue to look for the passion that took me to so many titles and design ideas.

mike

Link to comment

So the following are out:

Herb O'brien

Paul O'brien

Chris Sullivan

Mike Ferraro

That leaves:

Eddie Roberts

CJ Vlahovich

..and team skiers

Wade Cox

Will Asher & Chris Rossi (recently acquired - so may be under long term contract?)

It seems how powerful guys like Herb O'brien and Denny Kidder really are in this industry. Don't forget Herb now has Andy Mapple, the greatest skier of all time doing his R&D. If Eddie leaves HO (which I'm expecting now) the company may just become Hyperlite.

I dont' know if a topic was started earlier, but a former top exec at Nike was named the new President of HO.

Link to comment

check out schnitzskis.com, shnitz is always good for the latest gos!

also out:

Mat Rini (worked with Eddie and chet on ski design)

Also Brian Gardner.. anyone know what this dudes role was?? havnt heard of him.

Link to comment

What I think will be telling is if these folks that are leaving HO go to Herb/Mapple. IE. are the leaving a sinking ship or are they sticking with a leader?

Link to comment
  • 2 weeks later...

Alright, I got the scoop on what's going on. Here is a list of casualties thus far.

Herb Obrien

Paul Obrien

Brian Gardner

Chris Sullivan

Mike Ferraro

Their head Board designer

Their head Binding Designer

There are only 2 presses left in the factory and the factory is just a warehouse now. HO has turned into a "Warehouse and Marketing Company" (Source withheld for now).

Basically what happened was that Herb sold his stake in HO about 2 and a half years to Bob Archer, with a 2 year buyback. When Herb went back in June to buy them back, Bob declined to sell. You can say that a lot of people were upset. So the mass exodus begun.

Herb and any employees that left were given an 18 month non-compete. The new company will start up in about 16 months. The company will be called SquareOne. the ski division will be called Radar. A name for the wake division has not been decided yet. Herb has said that when the non-compete ends, he will be getting all of his old HO reps back. Should be an interesting couple years.

Link to comment

I just talked to Eddy Roberts at the HO Plant about some binding changes that I would like to make. We have always had superb service from HO and Hyperlite. I really hope that their system holds together.

Joe

Link to comment

There was a thread on wakeworld about new company being formed called radar. There is reason to belive that they have started up another company that will do ski and wake.

Link to comment

Is that Square One as in "back to square one" ? sounds fitting.

What would have been the strategy in selling your part of the company to buy it back in two years anyway ? Dontknow.gif Inquiring minds would like to know.

Link to comment
Pops - Cash Flow problems were the reason.

The Company or Herb personally ?

Selling personal ownership in the company I assume he founded in order to raise cash, to turn around and reinvest in the company doesn't sound like it would have been a sound strategy.

Well, I guess if thats actually the case he found out it the hard way.

I'm not trying to give you a bad time here but this doesn't sound logical.

Edited by LS-One
Link to comment

:(

Herb sunk his life into HO. The cash flow was for the company as far as I know.

So he put his faith into an outsider to do him right ? Boy, that must suck ! Another unfortunate reason we must keep blood-sucking attorneys at our avail, that too sucks... :(

Link to comment

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Restore formatting

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.


×
×
  • Create New...