Hometown: Customer Experience Specialist
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Beth Nault-Warner
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Customer Experience Specialist
A lifelong storyteller who has built a career on high-touch customer connection—from co-founding Minnesota's pioneer craft-beer bar, the Muddy Pig, to directing customer experience initiatives for small businesses and non-profits. Now at Bending Branches, I apply that care to assist you.
My outdoor life began on the rocky beaches, freezing waters, and windy mountain tops of New England. (I’m comfortable with discomfort.) I’m equally drawn to pine-needle trails, rivers & streams, and snow. I can’t stand snakes (or sticks pretending to be snakes.)
Outside of work, I’m often found pitching a tent, reading, or cooking. I love spotting wild mushrooms (but won’t eat them!) and I take more photos of moss & lichen that most people take of their children.
Expedition
Hampton Harbor Marshes
Little Sand
Hometown: Mechanical Engineer
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Brandon Johnson
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Mechanical Engineer
After graduating from UW-Stout, I started at Bending Branches/Aqua Bound in the summer of 2021. Outside of work, I spend a lot of time paddling, as it is the only means of transport to get to many of my favorite hunting/fishing/camping spots.
My favorite hobbies are waterfowl hunting, deer hunting, fishing, archery, camping, and mountain biking. I look forward to using my paddling experience and engineering background to improve our products and manufacturing processes here at Bending Branches/Aqua Bound
Black Pearl II
Boundary Waters Canoe Area
Boundary Waters Canoe Area
Hometown: VP of Sales | Senior Leadership | Owner
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Brian Boyea
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VP of Sales | Senior Leadership | Owner
I started working at Bending Branches in 2015 and have loved every minute of it. When I'm not working, I can be found on the water, exploring the outdoors, or at the golf course (more specifically: in the sand traps, ponds, or woods). I've had to adjust to living in a town that doesn't bleed green and gold, but don't worry, I'm happy to pay extra money in order to watch the Packers, instead of that lesser squad who wears purple, every Sunday this fall.
Likes: Cold beverages, tearing up dance floors and traveling.
Dislikes: Tomatoes, Ketchup and Pizza
Accomplishments/Experience
Mastered the art of hypnotism in 2008.
Was among the first humans in the world to see the very first sunrise in the year 2014.
Hometown: VP of Operations | Senior Leadership | Owner
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Cory Novinska
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VP of Operations | Senior Leadership | Owner
After breaking the main water line that comes into our building during my first week of work (which shut down production, blasted a hole in the sheetrock, and then flooded the entire front office) I didn't think my tenure would make it into double digits. However close to a decade later, they haven't kicked me out yet!
I grew up in small town Wisconsin. My father introduced me to the outdoors before I could walk and I have been hooked on it ever since. Favorite hobbies of mine include: spending time with family and friends, fishing, hiking, golfing, cross-country skiing, sitting in a tree stand or duck blind, and of course- paddling.
Strengths: bad dad jokes, distracting folks actually working, and mopping up spilled water.
Dislikes: gas station sushi, air mattresses that leak, and folks that don't like tater-tot hotdish (if you know you know)
Black Pearl ST
Apple River
St. Croix River
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Glenda Coyer
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Rivers have always been my guide. After working with the Branches crew behind the scenes, I jumped at the chance to officially join the team and help more people get on the water.
My background spans the corporate world, running my own businesses, relationship-building, small-business strategy, and I love turning challenges into opportunities. When I’m not at work, I’m usually boating the St. Croix, kayaking the Apple River, or hiking to hidden waterfalls with my best friend. I recharge with Pilates and creative craft projects.
I’m passionate about conservation and supporting local farms & businesses. “In wildness, is the preservation of the world.” ~ Henry David Thoreau
Run Ronda & The Good Witch
Bending Branches, of course
Apple River
Hammerhead Lake, Ontario, Canada
Hometown: President | Senior Leadership | Owner
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Jason Eccles
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President | Senior Leadership | Owner
Having started my professional career in the industrial laser industry, I brought an engineering background to Bending Branches in 2003. This move required a leap of faith at an early stage in my career.
The outdoor industry has been a rewarding endeavor, one that I would not trade for anything. Our purpose to inspire memorable outdoor experiences through passion and innovation has proven to be rewarding on so many levels.
Over the last 20 years, we’ve built a company and a team that I’m extremely proud of. Our core values and the integrity from which our team conduct themselves is truly humbling.
When I’m not working, I enjoy camping with my wife, 2 children and our rescue dog. I also enjoy after work paddling trips, golf, biking, running, hiking, fishing and a good whiskey or bourbon.
Navigator
Apple River
Minong Flowage
Hometown: Director of Marketing | Senior Leadership
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Kate Wright
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Director of Marketing | Senior Leadership
A lifetime spent recreating the St. Croix River Valley inspired me to pursue a career encouraging others to experience our natural world. I'm passionate about storytelling, protecting our natural spaces, and connecting people to the magic of outdoor recreation.
I joined the Branches team in 2023 and bring with me a background in marketing, sales, design, and sustainability from time spent in corporate, nonprofit, and retail settings.
When not working, you can find me with a camera in hand and dogs in tow as I paddle, hike, ski, and camp the best of the Northwoods wilderness and beyond. My husband and I recently welcomed a daughter and look forward to having a new buddy on our adventures. Ask me about a women’s hiking group I co-founded called Trail Mixer.
K.C.
Sunburst ST
Basswood Lake, BWCAW
Apple River
Hometown: Director of Growth & Innovation | Senior Leadership
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Mac Sandberg
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Director of Growth & Innovation | Senior Leadership
Osceola born and raised, recent Mechanical Engineering graduate of Michigan Technological University.
My hobbies include anything outdoors with a passion for ice fishing and waterfowl hunting.
My father got me into kayaking when I was young, so working at Branches was a perfect fit!
Oh yeah, and that Ranch Dressing stuff... it's pretty awesome.
Hometown: Controller | Senior Leadership
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Mark Eskro
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Controller | Senior Leadership
I came on board with Bending Branches in 2013 in their sales and service department. After 5 years of building great relationships with our customers I made the jump to credit and finance.
Outside of work, my wife and I are raising 5 strong and very independent daughters. I enjoy cooking, camping, and DIY home projects. I have an ever-growing bourbon collection and never miss a Packers game.
I am primarily a canoer but I'll hop in a kayak for a change now and then.
Dave
Explorer Plus
Anywhere I cannot hear traffic
Upper Namekagon River
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Micah DeLong
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I started at Bending Branches in 2022 working on the production floor making wood paddles. I stayed there for a bit, eventually having the privilege of leading that crew but recently I had the opportunity to join the Inside Sales & Customer Service team.
I love being able to bring my technical knowledge of how each of those paddles are made into my everyday conversations helping retailers and consumers find the paddles they need!
When I’m not at Branches HQ, I’m soaking up life as a proud new father of a little girl. My wife and I can’t wait to bring her camping, hiking, mountain biking, skiing, and trying the latest hot sauce (okay, so some of those will have to wait awhile).
Spicy Fact = We have a lazy susan turntable for our hot sauces in our fridge.
Cruiser
BWCA
Hometown: Purchasing & Inventory Manager
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Oliver Dressel
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Purchasing & Inventory Manager
Knock. knock.
Who's there?
Canoe.
Canoe who?
Canoe paddle a little harder? I'm doing all the work around here!
I grew up in Osceola, WI, attended St. Norbert College in De Pere, WI, and love to spend my time outside work sitting around a bonfire, riding my motorcycle (Charley the Harley) on rustic backroads, working with local environmental organizations, and thinking of a new joke to share in the office.
In 2020 I set the factory record, doubling up paddles on the production line 27 times consecutively while whistling the Star-Spangled Banner.
Ollie
Navigator Plus
St Croix River (at sunrise)
Chippewa River Flowage
Hometown: Purchasing & Inventory Assistant
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Sara Sigsworth
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Purchasing & Inventory Assistant
I started at Bending Branches in 2004 on the production floor making paddles. In 2009 when Bending Branches acquired Aqua Bound, our purchasing department needed a little help in the office and I was there to sneak in the door!
When I am not at work, I am spoiling my dogs, taking them for a ride in my Camaros, and planning my next trip to see my daughter, who is in the Air Force, currently stationed in North Dakota.
Of course I can't forget a pretty important person in my life, my husband, he is the reason I am spoiled! ❤
Navigator
Hometown: Social Media Guru
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Seth West
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Social Media Guru
If you made me choose between a camera, a kayak, and a fishing rod, I'd probably cry, so don't do that. I spend almost every waking moment either behind the lens documenting adventures on the water or partaking in them myself. My favorites are whitewater, sea kayaking, and fly fishing.
In the rare moments that I'm not by the water, you'll find me hanging out with my wife and my cat at home, likely with a good book or classic movie.
Hometown: Content Writer
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Sharon Brodin
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Content Writer
I’ve been a contributing content writer for Bending Branches since late 2016 and have so enjoyed this journey. Get paid to write about paddling? Get to interview interesting people from all over the world and write about incredible places? Get to work with an amazing company? Sign me up!
From enjoying the Boundary Waters since the late 80s to getting into kayaking to learning to paddleboard—I love the recreational paddlesports world. I enjoy lots of other outdoor activities too, especially hiking, camping, cross country skiing, snowshoeing and riding horses.
I live across the river from the Branches office in Minnesota with my husband Nick. We’re grateful to be near our three adults kids, their spouses and our growing crew of grandkids.
Expedition Plus
Boundary Waters Canoe Area