Vision:  To be the worlds elite watersports manufacturer...

Mission:   Setting standards producing the Highest Quality products, Consistently meeting our customers needs, and Exceeding expectations...

wakeboarding. I knew that I wanted to be involved in the sport long term. At this point in time I already had some insight into the sport from interacting with previous G.B. Sports Inc. AKA Gator Boards was founded in 1998. At the time I was a 22-year-old professional wakeboarder coming off my 3rd knee surgery. I had some substantial offers on the table from other Wake Companies yet something in my heart was leading me to start my own company. I had a love and a passion for this sport we call sponsors, developing pro models and working with artists on graphics. I had flown around the world Wakeboarding for the past 5 years. I knew there was something bigger I could contribute to the sport. We were a very young sport at the time. I saw some companies operating in a way, which I thought could be improved, so the idea hit me that I could ride for another company or start a new one. Well I wrestled with the idea for a while and finally decided to follow my heart. I said to myself well “if anything went wrong I would know who to blame”.

The first few years I did not take things seriously I got involved with some people that were going to help me and ended up taking advantage of the situation. Business lesson #1 do not have a partner. So at first it was a part time hobby I was not focused, and was not taking things seriously. Fast forward to 2003, it is time to get down to business!! This is when I was focused and started to run Gator. This is the first year we ran full time advertisements in Wakeboard Magazine, sponsored the Pro Tour, started the Fully Committed Tour and began to work on are first team video “Man Overboard”. We began to grow and our name was being recognized as a player in the industry. As the only rider owned and operated company in the industry we are distinct in the industry. We are independent, rider owned and operated. When I say rider owned and operated I do not mean that the owner of the company is a rider and yes that is true. I mean that our employee’s, those who operate the company on a day–to-day basis are riders.

Take for instance are product Line manager Jeremy Jones, he is an avid wakeboard enthusiast and owns a Malibu VLX. He does not ride because he works for a Wakeboard Company; he does it because he loves it. Our team Manager Troy Flick loves to wakesurf and even has an ad in the mag showing off his skills. Director of the art department Arian Antonucci loves to both wakeboard and wakeskate and will ride any chance he gets that he is not working on Gator boards. Sales Manager Julie Richardson rides with her family often on their own boat.  Then there is your CEO Top Dog AKA Head Chief yours truly. Do I ride; well I’ll let you figure that one out.

So we all have a passion for this sport and are very fortunate to have jobs doing what we love to do and what we would be doing even if this were not are profession . Gator Boards has had our fair share of struggles along the way yet the one thing we do is learn from our past failures and mistakes. Now we are a new Gator and a new Company and we have a great team and staff moving forward for 08.  I am truly fortunate to have such a great team of people around me. We are all focused and all on the same page heading towards the same vision. We want to do what we now do best, make quality innovative products for the industry, set trends and exceed are customers expectations. This is our declaration, our purpose and passion is to fulfill it.

Welcome to the New Gator and watch out for great things to continue to come!!






Erik ‘Gator’ Lutgert