"Handcrafted in the USA. For generations this statement has stood for quality goods built by caring experts. Over forty years ago Werner Furrer Sr. saw a need to design and build his own kayak paddles. His goal was to give his family more enjoyment as they explored the waters of the Pacific North West. Today, a short distance from where the first paddle was built in the family garage, Werner Paddles now calls Sultan Washington home. It is here that the employees of our design and production team handcraft the world's finest kayak, canoe and stand up paddles. It is these folks who pour their pride into every paddle to give our customers more enjoyment on the water. This pride and quality workmanship is evident every time you pick up a Werner Paddle. You see in our unsurpassed attention to quality and feel it with every stroke." If you have never read this message before I hope it meant as much to you as it does to us, so much so that we post it proudly behind our Handcrafted in Sultan, Wa logo on the home page of our site. Werner fosters a great work enviornment and we are proud to see two of our family moving up to help us continue to provide the best service and paddles.
Kelli Oleson has been with Werner for over 14 years and will be joing our stellar customer service team. She brings an intimate knowledge of Werner Paddles from her production background and will add an experience level that will be a huge asset to the team. Kelli is an active outdoor athlete and is excited to share her passion with our customers.
Trent Tullis is a young man who is quick to take the reins at Werner and within only a year is moving off the production floor, where he worked in several key areas, to the front of the house and Production Planning. So think about the last time you were begging to get your new paddle, the one you waited and waited on before ordering, shipped out in time for the biggest trip of the year...well now your fate lies in Trent's hands. All the paddles our team handcrafts need to be scheduled on Trent's desk first.
Congrats and good luck to you both, well deserved promotions for sure. As people like Kelli and Trent move up the positions are filled again, providing new jobs for folks in the Sultan River Valley. We are proud to be the 3rd largest employer in the Valley, building the finest paddles right here in the USA.
Congratulations Trent!
We knew you had the smarts and drive to accomplish great things. Go get them!
Grandmother & Gradnfather Tullis
Posted by: Tim & Janet Tullis | January 18, 2011 at 10:47 AM
Trent,
Congratulations, you are an amazing young man!!
We've always been so proud of you, and know that your potential is unlimited. Good things happen to good people, like you!!
Grandpa Buz and Linda
Posted by: Reynold Bates | January 31, 2011 at 10:21 AM
Trent, Way to go! You may not realize it yet, but the attributes and abilities that have contributed to your recent promotion are of great value not only to you, but also to your community and to your country.
Sometimes, when we are young, we might take certain kinds of things for granted, particularly when something comes easy for us. When I see young people who can advance in the workplace and use their minds and passion toward meaningful ends, as you are able to do, I want to say thank you. We need this kind of brilliance in the business world to keep/make our economy strong.
I've been in the field of education, teaching business and office technology workplace skills, for the past 27 years.
I have observed that some people have natural abilities that help them take leadership roles in the workplace and what that success can mean to their own well being, plus that of their colleagues, co-workers, and not least, their families, over time.
Our country was built on the success and dreams of both entrepreneurs and those who could brave the wilderness and it sounds as if you and your excellent paddles have what it takes.
Keep up the good work !
Karen O'Connor
Chair, Business and Information Technology
Cerro Coso Community College (Ridgecrest California)
www.cerrocoso.edu
President-Elect, California Business Education Association
(oh and by the way, My grandpa Joe is your grandpa Bates' dad.)
Posted by: Karen O'Connor | January 31, 2011 at 03:49 PM