“Independent fly shops are the lifeblood of the fly-fishing industry, and the most important sales channel for fishing gear at Orvis is our dealer channel”, says Steve Hemkens, Orvis VP of Fishing, Wingshooting, and Adventures. “Orvis is working hard to become the best partner in the industry to fly shops, and the most important component of that is a dedicated and passionate rep force.”
Last spring Orvis added six additional sales reps to its North American team, and as of August 1st four additional industry veterans will join their sales force:
Jamie and Kristen Lyle will be representing Orvis in Montana, Idaho and Wyoming. Starting in the early 90’s, the Lyles operated a successful independent sales agency in the Southwest for some of the most respected brands in fly fishing. In 2016, they relocated to Bozeman for Jamie’s new role as the SITKA Gear National Sales Manager. The Lyles are passionate and knowledgeable fly fishers with worldwide experience and also enjoy skiing, hunting, and family time with their son Aden when not on the water. “With time on the water and time in the field so ingrained in both the Orvis and northern Rockies DNA, we are excited to represent Orvis in this region and look forward to continuing to develop Orvis’ brand presence and success through independent dealers and endorsed lodges”, say the Lyles.
Jeremiah Houle will be joining Orvis as the Regional Business Manager in the Pacific Northwest covering Oregon, Washington and Alaska. In addition to being a passionate two-hand caster, educator and steelhead junkie, Jeremiah comes to the role with a rich understanding of both independent fly shops and the Orvis brand . In addition to working for 4 years at the Fly Shop in Redding, where he grew up, he worked as a fishing associate in our Bend store, managed Orvis Roseville in the Sacramento area, guided for Orvis Endorsed Deep Canyon Outfitters on the Deschutes, and helped launch Confluence Fly Shop in Bend’s Old Mill District, where he has served as both a buyer and outfitting manager. Jeremiah lives in Bend with his wife Kaylee and new daughter Violet.
John DeMasi will be representing Orvis in New York and New England. He grew up fly fishing, skiing and mountain biking the backwoods of Vermont. Before joining the Orvis sales team he guided for an Orvis Endorsed lodge, and brings 8 years’ experience as a retailer and guide. John has also worked as a technical rep for Kastle Skis and a number of independent outdoor retailers. His abilities to teach and communicate the values and attributes of products are strong. With experience in merchandising and social media, he looks forward to providing sales and promotional support to all northeast dealers. John and his girlfriend live in Vermont and Massachusetts, along with a particularly precocious black lab named Scout.
For further information, contact Steve Hemkens at [email protected]
