PARK FALLS, Wisc. – July 2021 St Croix Rod of Park Falls, Wisconsin – handcrafters of the Best Rods on Earth® for nearly 75 years – announces the hiring of Savannah Stenlund as Angler Engagement Coordinator and Charles (Chuck) Cunningham as IT Manager.
Savannah Stenlund joined the St. Croix Team on May 10 in the all-new position of Angler Engagement Coordinator. Her primary responsibilities include working with St. Croix’s Marketing, Sales, and Customer Teams to ensure frequent and consistent communication with anglers. Stenlund also manages St. Croix’s Pro Staff – one of the deepest in the industry – as well as the company’s established Guide and Scholastic Programs.
“I’m here to make sure that all the touchpoints anglers have with our brand are positive ones,” says Stenlund, who grew up fishing, hunting and playing sports in Rapid River, Michigan before graduating from Lakeland University in 2018 with a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration.
Before coming to St. Croix, Stenlund worked as an HR Specialist at Acuity Insurance in Sheboygan, Wisconsin doing recruiting and handling special programs, as well as part-time at Bold Cycle in Kohler, Wisconsin as a Facility Attendant working in retail.
“Savannah is an athlete and an angler, so she understands the passions that drive our business,” says St. Croix Vice President of marketing, Jesse Simpkins. “She’s also proven to be an excellent communicator. She’s a patient listener, highly relatable, and seems to put anyone she interacts with at ease. We couldn’t be happier to welcome Savannah to the St. Croix family, and after being with us only a short time, she’s already having a positive influence on our angler engagement.”
Family is very important to Stenlund, who credits her parents and her brother for helping shape who she is today. “When researching St. Croix and going through the interview process, I could tell how much family meant to this company as well,” she relates. “I truly have been treated like family from day one. That genuine care and family feel is something you won’t find at many other companies.”
Stenlund grew up near the mouth of the Whitefish River, which leads into the famous Little Bay De Noc. “I’m definitely a multi-species angler but have a soft spot for walleye and smallmouth bass, because that’s what I grew up fishing for the most,” she says, adding that Legend Tournament Walleye is her favorite St. Croix rod series. “With so many new people going fishing these days due to last year’s pandemic, it’s an exciting time to be entering the fishing industry. I encourage all anglers to take someone new fishing at any opportunity. Share your knowledge and to let them experience the joy that comes with fishing. I am extremely grateful and excited for this opportunity to be working for such a great American company that makes it it’s mission to help anglers have more success and fun on the water.”
Chuck Cunningham also came to work at St. Croix on May 10 and serves as the company’s new IT Manager. He’s responsible for managing St. Croix’s company-wide IT infrastructure and overseeing all IT-related projects. Originally from Beloit, Wisconsin, Chuck, his wife, Margie, and their four kids now reside in Bear Creek, Wisconsin.
Cunningham comes to St. Croix with an Associate’s degree in Computer Networking and over 20 years of information technology experience. He most recently worked at Ascension Healthcare as a Desktop Engineer.
“It’s great to add Chuck to our team,” says Paul Rybak, St. Croix Vice President of HR and Finance.
“He brings many years of experience and a thoughtful approach to keeping our systems running smoothly. Chuck’s experience and creativity are also helping us craft our IT strategy going forward.”
Cunningham agrees with Stenlund’s sentiments regarding the family atmosphere at St. Croix. “That culture played a big role in drawing me here,” he says. “It’s wonderful being a part of a company that not only understands that team members have lives away from work with their families and supports that, but also treats you like family when you’re here.”
Cunningham also appreciates working in an industry that he loves. “There’s something special that happens when your professional work intersects with a hobby or pastime you’re passionate about,” the walleye angler says. “It creates that extra spark, and in my case, knowing that I’m a part of a team that brings so much pride, satisfaction, and enjoyment to other anglers like me makes it really easy to do my best work every day. I’m excited to be a part of the St. Croix family and have the opportunity to drive our business forward in support of anglers.”
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About St. Croix Rod
Headquartered in Park Falls, Wisconsin, St. Croix has been proudly producing the “Best Rods on Earth” for nearly 75 years. Combining state-of-the-art manufacturing processes with skilled craftsmanship, St. Croix is the only major producer to still build rods entirely from design through manufacturing. The company remains family-owned and operates duplicate manufacturing facilities in Park Falls and Fresnillo, Mexico. With popular trademarked series such as Legend®, Legend Xtreme®, Avid®, Premier®, Imperial®, Triumph® and Mojo, St. Croix is revered by all types of anglers from around the world.
