APR/MAY 2018
9
MATT BAKER
Hometown: Akron, Ohio
Years in Bend: 24
Years in the Outdoor Industry: about 20
Brands: Jones Snowboards,YES snowboards,
NOW bindings, Hippy Tree, Christenson Surf-
boards, Pukka headwear, Sea & Summit Organic
Sunscreen
1. First time you put on a pair of skis or
strapped on a snowboard?
I started skateboarding in the late 70’s ,
and got my hands on a snurfer around the
same time, then probably around ‘84 or ‘85
I bought a Black Snow snowboard with no
edges and built mini kickers at my grandpar-
ents hill, not a lot of control to say the least.
First time on a real snowboard was 1989 at
Powder Mountain, on a Kemper in about 3
ft of pow, I was hooked that day, and have
lived in the mountains ever since.
2. What territory do you cover and how
many miles do you figure you drive a
year?
The Great Pacific Northwest (Alaska, Wash-
ington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana) and I put in
around 40-50,000 miles a year driving and
around maybe another 40,000 in the air.
3. What was the best, funnest or coolest
location for a company national sales
meeting?
There’s been a few over the years, I’d have
to say Chamonix was the most breathtak-
ing; but Leysin, Switzerland we were there
for opening day at the resort and it was a
pow day for the books, last run was the best
run, just absolutely nuking, and riding with
a couple locals that grew up there and just
showed us the goods! We had lunch in a
150 year old cabin mid mountain that was
run by the farmers of that area in the sum-
mer, the food and ambiance was insane.
4. As trade shows go, are they as impor-
tant as they used to be?
For sure they are, I prefer our local Portland
show versus the Denver show, it’s just more
personal and less craziness going on and
you can actually sit down and talk business,
and show product. In Denver, typically it’s
pretty chaotic at our booth, lots of media,
other reps showing product at the same
time, fun but hectic.
FRIED CHICKEN
5. What drives you, is it the innova-
tion of the products you sell, the
rep lifestyle, or the bigger picture
getting people outdoors enjoying
their lives? All of the above?
Good question, I think what drives me
as far as work goes is selling amaz-
ing product, working with super cool
people, and being able to spread the
stoke throughout the territory. I would
be living this lifestyle either way I’m
just able fund my lifestyle by selling
the products I love using myself. I also
feel honored to be able to represent
the brands I do, and to be able to
stand behind the product 100%.
6. Do you think on snow demos
are the most effective way to turn
people onto your products?
Yes, especially with NOW bindings
it’s such a user experience, once you
try them and get back on your regular
bindings you really feel the difference
in responsiveness and ease of edge to
edge weight transfer. I try and do as many
as I can, there is a downside when condi-
tions aren’t good or coverage is not good,
you can get boards beat up pretty bad..
7. What’s the strangest thing that has
happened to you on the road or at a
resort (that you can tell us about)?
Man, I have a terrible memory, and most of
them I dont think would be appropriate but
here’s a couple. I was with the Forum team
at our sales meeting in Baja, Mexico and
we were “escorted” out of a “seniore’s” club
by a group of guys with machine guns, the
rest of the details I can not and will not tell.
Another time I was in the Swiss alps in a van
heading to the Geneva airport with the crew
and we took a bathroom stop, and I came
out of the bathroom to see the van driving
LOTTERY GAMES
away without me, and I proceeded to run
down the street chasing the van in the snow,
I don’t like to yell and I didnt want to make a
scene, but I was wondering what my options
were, with none of my gear...
8. There aren’t a lot of reps living in
Central Oregon. Why did you choose to
live here?
I chose to live here for the mountains, and
the close proximity to the ocean, And to
raise my daughter here. For years it was
uncommon for a rep to live in the moun-
tains, brands wanted you to live in Portland
or Seattle. But It seems these days brands
understand that living in the mountains just
makes sense, this is where people use the
products we sell.
9. If you could rep a beer company in
Bend, what brand would it be?
I’d have to say Boneyard would fit me the
best, I like how they run their program.
BEER, WINE AND LIQUOR
(541) 330-2323
10. If you weren’t a sales rep, what
would be your dream job?
I’d say owning a coffee shop and roasting
coffee would be pretty sweet, or maybe just
having no job at all and just living in a cabin
in the woods and living off the land.
11. Is being a traveling sales rep a
glamorous job? What are some of the
upsides and downsides?
Well I think a lot of people think it is glamor-
ous, but you really have to love the road and
living out of a duffel bag, but my comfort
zone is the whole NW, I can almost go to
everytown in my territory and know someone
and know the town, where to stay and eat
and get a good coffee. Getting to know the
Alps has been pretty cool too, since our par-
ent company Nidecker is based in Switzer-
land we gather in that area every fall to look
at the next season’s product.
BILLIARDS AND GOLDEN TEE