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Astral was founded in 2002 on the banks of the Rocky Broad River near Asheville, NC. We are a focused group of paddlers , designers, engineers, and regular good people. We spend most of our time creating cool stuff and trying our best to please our customers. Astral is a small open business where our success is judged by our customers and our own personal satisfaction, doing the best possible work for the most good. Here’s a look at some of our key people.
Prez: Philip Curry is the founder and architect of Astral. He is responsible for most of the innovations used in modern day PFD technology; from pioneering the use of Cordura in 1993 to most recently introducing Airescape breathable technology. Curry is a forward thinker and a compassionate businessman who contemplates the global impacts of Astral and seeks to rid the world of toxic raw materials. Philip still manages to find time to paddle here in WNC and enjoys everything from running the Green or paddling some touring boats with his boys Silas, Zeb, and Arlo and his wife Nikki.
Sales: Yonton Mehler has been all over the world in his 24 years and we are glad that he has finally set some roots here with us. Yonton is our Sales Manager who keeps our worldwide team of vendors, reps, and customers on the right path while simultaneously hammering down the Green River every chance he gets. He founded the Israeli Freestyle Kayak Team in 2001 and has been representing his home nation at the World Freestyle Kayak Championship ever since.
Customer Lover: Bryan Owen is the newest addition to the Astral Crew. After 5 years in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado, B.O moved back east to be closer to some classic southeastern whitewater and his hometown of Atlanta, GA. Bryan’s dog, Sampson is a big time operator here in our office. When Bryan is not helping customers with their orders or coming up with new idea of how we can improve our service he can be spotted hanging out in West Asheville with Sampson and his crew or running the Green Narrows.
Product Design: Reglan Brewer has an eye for style. Originally from the NC high country of Boone, Reglan realized early on that hillbillys needed to wear better shoes. He has since spent time in Europe and North America designing some of the best sports footwear on the market. Now Reglan is an important part of the Astral design and development team, making sure that you look good on the water too.
Graphic Designer: Kris Northern is our principal graphic artist and web designer who has propelled us to see the natural world in a new way. His graphic illustrations can be found throughout our designs and media, making our lives more colorful and interesting on a daily basis. He is also a professional DJ with an amazing range of talents. Check out phidelity.com to see more of his works.
Accounting: Tracey Haswell is our token numerical intellect. She spearheads our bookkeeping department and more or less, keeps everything in line here at Astral. From analyzing complex spec sheets and working with our vendors to processing inventory sheets and sending out invoices. When you walk by Tracey’s desk you are likely to hear Tool, NIN, Frank Sinatra, Michael Buble or J.S Bach. Contrary to popular belief, Tracey was not the lead singer and guitar player for central PA’s Glam-Rock band “Mascara”.
Traffic Control: Jared Curtioff is our traffic controller; managing raw, finished, and in process materials. Jared has been running class V since his early days in the backwoods of Western PA. He is the bass player for the Asheville, NC based Fuzzy Bucket Band and recently designed and built himself a custom whamola bass guitar. Jared enjoys spending time off with his two boys, creeking, and making custom musical instruments in the woodshop.
USA Manufacturing: Linda McKee should change her last name to McCoy, because she is that real. America has very few people as talented at running a sewing shop as Mrs. McKee. Before working at Astral she operated her own sewing factory where she sewed the first Lotus PFD for us 11 years ago. She is the current Henderson County karaoke champion for her rendition of Rod Stewarts “Cigarettes and Alcohol.”
Mid-atlantic Sales: Kelly Fisher represents some of the best gear on the market; including IR and Liquidlogic...he possesses that rare balance of super mellowness with sincere passion. Kelly lives in Mainer where he has a chicken tractor and his wife runs a Rabbit with bio-diesel.
Rocky Mtn. Sales: Brent Toepper spreads the good word of Astral throughout the Rockies. He is an iconic rep and paddler that has kept the industry on beat for many years now. He also reps for IR and Pyranha so you know he’s for real. Brent lives in Crested Butte, Colorado where he’s been paddling Oh Be Joyful since the early days. Have you seen Off the Deep End lately?
West Coast Sales: Jeff Trauba represents our largest geographic territory, the West Coast - top to bottom. Besides his hard work with Astral and other high end outdoor equipment, Jeff is a pretty serious lifestyler. Based in Santa Cruz, Jeff spends his playtime kayaking, surfing, kiteboarding, and skiing up and down the Pacific Coast. We are very envious of his proximity to the playground.
Mid West Sales: Hansi Johnson - A perfect blend of mellowness and passion, Hansi is one of the most authentic outdoor lifestylers around. He got into repping in order to stay close to the sports that inspire him, most notably wilderness canoeing and expedition skiing. He has worked for many of the industry's best, including Patagonia, Garmont, Wenonah, and Current Designs. He lives on Lake Superior near Duluth with his wife Margaret where they have easy access to some of the nation's best water trails. Hansi has made quite a few award wining outdoor videos as well. Check out his blog:http://universalklister.blogspot.com/
Great Lakes Sales: Bruce Clevenger is our rep for the Great Lakes. His love for kayaking, biking, and skiing is contagious and Bruce has shared his passion for the outdoors with thousands of people over the years as an instructor at Quiet World Sports. We count on Bruce’s many years of expertise in the Great Lakes region to offer product support and excellent service to the finest outdoor retail stores.
New England - CJ Rep is our crew up in the Northeast comprised of industry veterans Chuck Joy and Jim Kaiser. These guys have been outstanding sales reps for many years and Chuck was one of Philip’s first reps back at Lotus. Chuck and Jim also represent some other excellent brands like Liquidlogic and Native Kayak.
New England Sailing Rep" Tom Peelen stumbled onto a sailboat as a mechanic in his homeland of Australia. By that time he had already traveled to many parts of the world as a surfer, so his immediate passion for sailing fit perfectly with the lifestyle. Many years, continents and oceans later, Tom now lives in Massachusetts, where he is an avid PHRF competitor (and 2007 East Coast Champion!) and works as a Sailing sales rep.
Sailing Rep:Tony Arends grew up in Australia. His father was a boat builder and the passion for boats and sailing has stuck to Tony and led him all over the world. His affinity for an American woman helped him settle in this great country. Tony is still an active dinghy boat sailor and a very talented sail maker. This mellow Aussie is our connection to the world of performance sailing.