Matt Arndt and Katie Bryan bring proven product development innovation and industry expertise to growing portfolio of Nexus Outdoors brands
Muskegon, MI – Nexus Outdoors, parent company to the ScentLok, Blocker Outdoors, OZ, Whitewater, American Range Systems, and Tree Spider brands, announces the addition of Matt Arndt and Katie Bryant to its Product Team.
Matt Arndt, Vice President of Product Development
Matt Arndt comes to Nexus Outdoors with 24 years of outdoors-industry experience earned at retail powerhouses, Cabela’s and Sportsman’s Warehouse, where he served a variety of management roles in the hunting apparel and footwear categories. Growing up in rural Oshkosh, Nebraska and currently residing in the outdoors paradise of Cheyenne, Wyoming, Arndt earned B.S. degrees in Biology and Chemistry from Chadron State College in 1997.
In his new role as VP of Product Development, Arndt will work closely with Senior Vice President of Product, Dale Douglas, to lead product design and technical development initiatives that drive innovation, brand integrity, quality and profitability for Nexus Outdoors.
“The outdoors is more than my career; I’ve spent my entire life outside,” says Arndt, who counts waterfowl, deer, and upland hunting among his primary outdoor pursuits, along with kayak fishing. “I’ve always had a passion for the industry and the end user, because I am one. Like so many outdoors enthusiasts, my time afield is valuable and precious, so I’ve always been interested in brands that make products that add value to people’s outdoor experiences. That’s what first drew me to the ScentLok brand so many years ago, and now I’m a part of that team designing, refining and ultimately offering hunters the apparel options they enjoy wearing because of the success and satisfaction they help create.”
Given his employment history and experience with large corporations, Arndt says he appreciates the opportunity to work and collaborate on a smaller team. “It’s a lot more focused and every voice counts, here,” he says. “Being a smaller company, every team member matters, and Nexus Outdoors leadership has done an exceptional job creating a team full of driven and experienced individuals who share the same passions as our customers.”
Douglas says Arndt’s hunting-apparel experience, authentic outdoors lifestyle, and scientific knowledge and background make him a unique fit for his new position at Nexus Outdoors. “Our customers don’t always realize how much research and science goes into the development of all our brands and products,” he says. “We’re heavily invested in technologies that allow our apparel and other products to deliver better experiences for our customers. Matt’s background and unique skillsets are already helping us to elevate performance and value in every category.”
Katie Bryan, Technical Development and Design Manager
Like so many other team members at Nexus Outdoors, Katie Bryan has the same passion for the outdoors as the customers she serves. Growing up in Lafayette, Indiana, she accompanied her father on hunting trips since she was old enough to walk and became a licensed hunter at age 11. She earned a pair of Bachelor’s degrees in Apparel Design and Apparel Merchandising from Indiana University and comes to Nexus Outdoors with seven years of experience at Bass Pro Shops as a Technical Designer working on men’s casual and hunting apparel, rainwear, fishing apparel, and more.
As Technical Development and Design Manager for Nexus Outdoors, Bryan works closely with Vice President of Design and Technical Development, Rebecca Arellano. “We’re heavily involved in a wide variety of tasks and initiatives, from development to design and sourcing to fit and final products,” says Bryan. “But a large part of what we do involves taking the Product Team’s design concepts, technologies, and performance specifications, then applying aesthetics and other features to ultimately get products manufactured so they look right, fit right, and function and perform as intended,” says Bryan. “It’s a big job, but very rewarding.”
Like Arndt, Bryan says she also appreciates the spirit of collaboration that comes from working at a smaller company. “When you work at a huge company, you don’t always feel like your voice and ideas are all that important,” she says. “This has been a huge and welcomed change for me. Everyone at Nexus Outdoors is invested in what we are doing and cares deeply about our work on behalf of our customers. Here, everyone’s thoughts and ideas are solicited and considered valuable.”
Growth and Expansion
Arellano says it’s a particularly exciting time to be working on behalf of hunters and outdoors enthusiasts at Nexus Outdoors. “I think most hunters understand the advantages our ScentLok and Blocker Outdoors apparel lines deliver in terms of industry-leading scent control, but unless they’ve worn our garments in the field, they still may not be aware of just how well they function in terms of fit, comfort, ergonomics and other measures of performance,” she says. “The truth is, we’re making some of the very best hunting apparel available anywhere, and we’re not resting on our laurels. Our Product and Technical Development and Design Teams are working hard every day to heighten performance, function, and fit across all our existing product lines, while also working on expanding those assortments and creating new brands that deliver a wider range of products that support additional outdoor activities.”
Nexus Outdoors President, Aaron Ambur, expounds. “Our culture and philosophy have always driven who and what we are,” he says. “What I mean by that is that we’d rather be a small, privately owned company in Michigan making trusted, category-leading products than a large corporation filling every product category with whatever it can source and slap a label on in order to increase revenues. So, when we decide to expand a product line or create a new brand, it’s not just because we believe we can meet the needs of the market; it’s because we believe we can do so with products that offer outdoors enthusiasts distinct advantages. I can’t offer any more details at this time, but I will say this: If you are a hunter – or an angler – and you think you’ve seen the best of what Nexus Outdoors can offer, just wait and see what we’ve been working on for you.”
ABOUT NEXUS OUTDOORS
Nexus Outdoors, headquartered in Muskegon, MI, USA, is a leading worldwide designer, marketer and distributor of performance, hunting and casual odor-controlling apparel, footwear and equipment under the ScentLok®, OZ®, Blocker Outdoors®, Scent Shield®, Whitewater Outdoors® and Tree Spider® brands. It also owns American Range Systems, manufacturer and distributor of the world’s strongest and safest bullet traps. Nexus Outdoors is the only company with access to all scent-controlling technologies, including their patented Carbon AlloyTM, TrinityTM and Cold Fusion CatalystTM technologies, which provide superior success in the field. ScentLok and ScentBlocker are pioneers in the hunting industry, which many credit with creating a market based on the elimination of odors to get closer to big game.
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