References, Experiences, and Testimonials

Scott Bass - Event Marketing, Sales, Operations

I have known Steve Avery for at least eight years, and have always been impressed with his desire to help me, to be of service to me and to remain watchful of my success. I seek Steve's advise on digital applications, video production, as well as big picture, 30K ft level planning. I highly recommend Steve Avery as an entirely competent, educated, thoughtful, forward thinking individual. To this day I seek out Steve's advice and guidance on a number of different projects. You'd be wise to consider Steve for any of your business endeavors.

Bryan Dickerson-Content Director at X-treme Media/SurfersVillage

Steve works tirelessly to build relationships. In my work experiences with Steve he was always thoughtful, engaged and very aware of the subtle periphery issues at hand. Not everyone can pick up on those little things in a situation. But Steve can, and that's what sets him apart. He also has the ability to organize loose situations and focus on the primary task at hand. Steve cares a great deal about his work and doing a good job. His organizational and relationship skills make him a great resource and partner for your business. I highly recommend Steve Avery
Royce Cansler -VP Sales and Marketing at Rusty Surfboards

I have known Steve for over 20 years and would highly recommend him for any opportunity presented to him. Steve has extensive knowledge of the action sports industry in many areas including retail, retail management, retail buying, wholesale management, wholesale sales management, market development and social media. Steve has an established reputation with key retailers nationwide, and is well known as a dependable source for execution in what ever area his is involved.

Genny Harrison - Social Media Strategy and Community @ PlayStation

I worked with Steve EXTENSIVELY when I was doing Business Relations at YouRiding. While he was under another umbrella within the company, he quickly became my right-hand man when it came to business strategy and direction for the business.

Steve intuitively has impeccable "business smarts" about him and understands new markets, new demographics and usually spoke about elephants in the room (that no one typically wanted to point out) with finesse and without ruffling any feathers. To me - these are all traits that help push businesses and brands to get them to the next level.

Based on my interactions with Steve in a professional ad more personal nature (friends outside of the office!) I 100% recommend him for any position or role at any organization that has the honor of securing him. He is a rare gem.



I’d like to personally commend my colleague and friend Steve Avery as a trusted, intelligent and altogether outstanding individual.

Steve’s dedication and moral compass put him at the top of the list of coworkers that I’ve ever had the pleasure of working beside. An asset to every team that we put together, Steve was a key leader in assessing our hurdles with a pragmatic approach, a watertight strategy and precise execution.

In addition to being more than capable of handling the volatile environment of a growing startup, he can also lean on his vast extended network of industry veterans for consulting and expert advise.

Steve is one of the good ones and I’d be happy and lucky to work with him again in any capacity.


Best,

Jason Janecek
Managing Partner, Better Weather LLC

Jason Borte at The Surf School - Steve examined my surf camp business, which had been losing ground to local competitors who were more savvy in terms of using the internet and social media to reach new customers. He provided us with a host of ideas that breathed new life into our website and brought us into contact with lots of potential customers.

Jason Borte at The Surf School


I have known and worked with Steve Avery for the past 2 years at Lost Surfboards. In my 40+ years of working in the surfboard industry, Steve was a breath of fresh air in a very tight competitive market.
He always was and is hands on and a pleasure to work with.
His surfing passion and wealth of knowledge on sales, operations and manufacturing is second to none. I believe strongly he would be an excellent asset to any company, in any management position as you just can't buy his depth of knowledge and his attention to details in servicing any and all customers.
Over the 2 year working with him I developed a strong friendship with him, and value him as a friend and working associate ........his moral integrity is unquestionable!

Maurice Cole
Surfer, Surfboard designer and shaper.....


I had the pleasure of working with Steve for many years during his time at Lost Surfboards. Steve has always gone the extra mile to support our business and partnership from all aspects, ranging from production to sales/marketing opportunities. The surfboard production business is a tough environment with many challenges. I personally have witnessed Steve overcome many challenges and believe he played a key role in the success of Lost Surfboards brand.
Steve has a vast skill set from years of hands-on experience and solid understanding of running a successful business with integrity.

Ryan List
Director of Operations, Futures Fins

I have been working with Steve Avery for over fifteen years, and highly recommend him for any form of management position. I initially met Steve when I was an independent sales representative in the Action Sports industry. Steve was hired to manage the chain of K5 Board Shops and tighten up their operations. I worked closely with Steve to establish the right product mix for the stores to ensure high retail turns and profitability. I also watched as Steve streamlined the internal business to run much more efficiently. Steve effectively turned around the stores allowing them to operate like a top.
 
When Steve transitioned to the GM of Lost Surfboards, our business relationship was raised to another level. I became the Regional Manager of Surf Hardware four years ago and dealt with Steve on many levels, including sales, marketing, team, new product launches and overall general business. The communication levels have always been excellent and well thought out. Again, I watched Steve tighten the business to run much more efficiently. The Lost Surfboard business had massive growth year over year while Steve was at the helm.

To best describe Steve I would use words like integrity, sedulous, efficient and committed. These are words I don’t use lightly but Steve possesses these rare qualities. I highly recommend Steve and know he could be an asset to you business.

Matt Jones
US Regional Manager Surf Hardware International
I am writing this to endorse Steve Avery as a hard working, bright, capable person who I have had the pleasure of working with for the past 8 years in his previous role as the GM of Lost Surfboards. As the general manager of Wise Surfboards I worked closely with Steve to place orders, maintain inventory, stimulate sales and maximize profitability. As a retailer, it is important to have a key contact within the manufacturer that I can rely on to deliver product and service in an efficient manner and Steve was always that guy at Lost. Surfboards are a notoriously low profit item and anything that goes wrong from the point of order to receiving the product will kill the profit in the final sale and Steve always went above and beyond to insure that everything in his control went smoothly and helped build upon the relationship that Lost Surfboards has with our store. In an industry filled with people who sometimes lack professionalism and basic business skills it was always a relief to know that I had a guy like Steve to count on to follow through with my demands as a retailer. I will miss working with Steve and know full well that wherever he lands next will be made better by having him as part of the team.

Rob Aschero
General Manager
Wise Surfboards
I have had the pleasure of working with Steve Avery over the past seven years.  He is a pro in regards to understanding our business as a retailer while showing he can run a lean, profitable wholesale business.  Steve is truly passionate about his work, customers, and those he works with.  I could see his wide range of skills as a valuable asset in any organization he is a part of and would recommend him with the highest regards.

Eric Kroungold
GM
Catalyst FL Stores
As a retailer I have had the opportunity to work with Steve Avery for the past eight years. His position with Lost Surfboards was such that I was in contact with Steve for nearly every question, suggestion, comment, or issue I had regarding the company.
I can honestly say that Steve was the most thorough, most thoughtful, and most responsible Sales Manager I have ever dealt with. Anytime there was ever an issue with his company or his product, Steve seemed to make it his priority to fix whatever was broken and settle anything unsettled. Never did he “pass the buck” or attempt to disguise or ignore any matter in question. This was in stark contrast to his predecessors at this company and is in contrast to most in his position within the surfing industry as a whole.
Additionally, Steve Avery has always been a reliable source of information. Regarding his own company as well as others, Steve made it a point to have an overall knowledge of all aspects of the products and policies. And, he is well-spoken and extremely effective at sharing his knowledge most willingly. He has helped me in more ways than I could possibly count.  I can only hope to somehow be involved in whatever new endeavor he chooses. His rare ability to balance professionalism alongside his friendly, personal nature make him a valuable asset for any company where customer contact is necessary. I believe his talents and attitude would certainly benefit any company and put him on a short list of indispensables. I am looking forward to connecting with Steve again in his next project.


Tim McKevlin
Owner
McKevlin's Surf Shop

 Steve was my in house contact at Lost Surfboards and I largely credit the brand's success in my store, Pioneers Board Shop, to the customer service that Steve delivered my store and my clients.  

    When ever I had a customer order to place I put it through Steve, any time I needed something Steve made it happen, and when we ran into issues that needed to be resolved Steve always made it right.  Steve has always been timely with his responses and honest with his answers, which are two of the things I value most in this industry.  I am sure whatever Steve does next he will be nothing but successful at and I hope to be able to continue to work with him in his next endeavor.

    
Bryan Johnson
Manager
Pioneers Board Shop

I worked with Steve for almost 5 years and he was a huge asset to the company we worked with. He focused in on my territory and business and helped me grow the territory each year. I've known Steve since I was a teenager and have tons of respect for him as a person, colleague and friend. Steve would be a great asset to any company looking to grow and develop their business.

Chris Todd
Mid-Atlantic Sales Rep at ...Lost Enterprises, Arnette Eyewear, MOVMT Footwear & SOL REPUBLIC
Steve is an amazing person, both on the job and as a friend.
He would be a great asset to any company, he is a hard worker that knows how to handle what's required of him. I have a ton of respect for him and his work ethic. Anyone would be fortunate to have him on your team.

Keola Hayes
Quality Assurance Nurse at Blue Water Resources

I wanted to give a brief description of my work experience with Steve Avery.  I am the surfboard buyer/owner of Heritage Surf & Sport in Margate .  Steve was in charge of sales and customer support for Lost surfboards.  Steve serviced our account very professionally and efficiently.  He always returned phone calls within the same day and most of the time he would pick up the office phone himself.  He always returned emails the same day.  I never had any communication issues with Steve.  He was super knowledgeable and very helpful with product information.  Steve did an excellent job at finding any custom orders and helping to get them pushed through when necessary.  Steve handled everything concerning our mutual business venture without incident.  I would give Steve a 10 out of 10 recommendation!  Please feel free to contact me with any questions or concerns.

Randy Young
Owner - Heritage Surf and Sport
Margate, New Jersey
I have known Steve Avery since 2008 and as a colleague I would rank him at the top of the class when it comes to sales and marketing.
When I was the Director of Sales at Hydroflex, I had a chance to work with Steve and it was an enjoyable experience.  His attention to detail along with his knowledge of the industry made my job that much easier. Very professional, honest and hardworking are some of the other great traits that would describe Steve’s demeanor.
I am thankful for the opportunity to have worked with Steve and send him with the highest recommendation and am also happy to give a referral on the phone as well.  
 
Ed Santos
Director - Global Sales - Indosole
I am writing this to recommend Steve Avery for consideration by your organization.
I have known Steve for 15 years and have worked together with him for 5 of those years. Steve proved to be hard working and passionate in not only implementing my vision of what K-5 Boardshop should be, but was instrumental in contributing to the vision as well.  He developed, initiated, and implemented many different projects and policies during a period of rapid growth, which presented many challenges in a variety of areas. He always rose to the occasion and did whatever was needed to make the business successful. I was always confident that he represented my business as a growing, progressive organization and was able to build deep and meaningful relationships with customers, vendors, and his co-workers.  Most importantly, Steve proved to be a person who I could trust to be creative, practical and treat my business like it was his own.
I am very confident that he will be able to do the same for you and your organization.
Please feel free to contact me for additional information regarding Steve and what he can bring to the table.


Jurgen Schulz
Co-founder/President
SHELTA Inc. (present)

Co-founder/V.P.
K-5 Boardshop (1987-2013)
Steve,
I Heard you’ve moved on from …Lost Surfboards to pursue a new venture. I just wanted to thank you for all you’ve done for me over the years as an athlete, for the way you’ve handled the accounts I’m linked to on the east coast, and for the kindness you showed random friends and families I would have sent your way on referral. You always made sure to go the extra mile to build relationships with everyone I’ve known you to be doing business with, and that’s really what makes the difference, you’re a solid dude, Steve. I’m stoked to have had the chance to work with you. I wish you the best of luck, and I know you’ll have success in what ever you do. You’re the man!

Andrew Gesler
Professional Surfer / Producer
darkfallproductions.tv



It is with great pleasure that I write this letter of recommendation for Steve Avery. I have had the pleasure of knowing Steve since the early 2000’s.
I worked with Steve while he was the surf buyer at K-Five Boardshops from 2002 until 200?, and have purchased surfboards from him at Lost Surfboards up until this his recent departure.
I have always known him to be kind, courteous, and extremely thorough. I cannot count the times that Steve has gone above and beyond what would be expected of his position to make sure that my needs were met.
With his abilities, adaptability, and dedication Steve will make a terrific addition to any company lucky enough to land him. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me anytime.

 
Ben Kelley - Surf Buyer/General Manager
Sun Diego Boardshops

This is a letter of recommendation for Steve Avery. Steve and I worked
together at …Lost surfboards from 2006 to 2010. I was and independent,
outside sales rep and Steve was my Sales Manager. What Steve was able
to accomplish in those years at …Lost goes far beyond simply
increasing sales. The business that he stepped into was an operational
mess. Before Steve started there …Lost had a reputation for being the
most unorganized and most difficult company in the surf industry to
deal with. Steve was able to change all that. His ability to stream
line production on top of creating a stronger customer service
atmosphere for both reps and accounts changed the reputation of the
brand and made it a pleasure and successful company to be a part of.
He has a unique and valuable skill set of understanding both
operations and sales. Any company would be lucky to have Steve as a
part of it.
Please feel free reach out to me anytime with any questions or
concerns.
Eddie Doyle
Creatures of Leisure
USA National Sales Manager


I was fortunate to have Steve Avery as my high school teacher during my freshman and senior years at Bayside High School in Virginia Beach. Steve was a big influence during those years. His style of teaching was inventive and very applicable. I knew Steve as a teacher and mentor, and believe his  guidance had a very positive impact in shaping my life. I have many accomplishments I could directly attribute to his teaching ability, his tenacity to achieve results being one. He took me under his wing during my time at Bayside High School, and we have remained in touch over the years. I wish him great success in his new endeavors and hope to call on his expertise in the future. 
Brad Wedding
"I've had the pleasure of working with Steve for the past 12 years, both as an account of mine with K5, and as a colleague with Lost Surfboards. Steve is intelligent, straightforward, and hard working, and would be an asset to any company he works for. His organization helped to bring the Lost Surfboards program to the forefront of the surf industry, and the key accounts in my territory had nothing but praise for the job he did."

Aaron Griffiths - Sales Guru for San Diego, Orange County, and AZ territories - Lost Enterprises
Steve is a breath of fresh air. My experiences as both a customer and business associate of Steve’s over the last 10 years have been nothing short of impactful. From casual conversation to significant business decisions, his “listen first” approach acknowledges your point of view as not only important, but highly considered. His lateral thinking approach gives him a knack for turning complicated problems into creative solutions. Steve consistently operates with a high degree of professionalism, compassion, and ingenuity. I can confidently say he is an invaluable asset to any endeavor.


Ian Riggs - PR Specialist & Web Writer at NOAA