Is it true that Abel President and COO, Don Swanson (an important part of Abel for many years), has jumped ship … to Orvis?
In an attempt to have a brief chat with Swanson earlier this week about the influence of the Grateful Dead on recent reel paintings, I was told that Swanson has made the change.
Abel has changed hands recently. Acquired by the Mayfly Group, the acquisition surprised many, mostly due to the fact that this put Abel and Ross Reels together, as Mayfly also has Ross. While Abel has been undergoing changes, Orvis has as well. Recently, Orvis seemed to revamp their commitment to fly fishing and even acknowledged that such a renewed commitment was necessary. About a year ago, Orvis even invited the fly fishing media to their headquarters to show everyone what’s up – leaving many impressed with their refocused approach to fly fishing.
Now Orvis has Swanson – an industry veteran, and speculation could lead folks in a number of directions. But before one makes too many conclusions, consider the department Swanson is rumored to be working in at Orvis: rods.
We will see where this goes and will keep you updated on what your beloved manufacturers are up to.