We Make Products We Believe In
At Cane Creek, we’re proud of the products that we make – and the committed and passionate people who make them a reality.
Find Out How To Join The Team
Leadership and Administration
Name: Brent Graves
Position: CEO
Year Started: 2016
The best thing about being a part of the Cane Creek family is…: Being able to create cool bike parts that we get excited about riding ourselves
What you’ll find me doing on the weekends: Going as fast as I can on two or four wheels in the mountains
How I got here: Someone owed me for choosing DiaCompe brakes for Diamondback production bikes in 1993!
Name: Jenifer A. Bolton
Position: VP of Finance
Year Started: 1999
The best thing about being a part of the Cane Creek family is…: Employee Ownership
What you’ll find me doing on the weekends: Riding to my ride…
How I got here: I was the unconventional accounting student with no pocket protector and a love of mountain biking. A professor/mentor thought I’d be the perfect fit for a job at Cane Creek. She was right.
Name: Courtney Smith
Position: Director of People & Culture
Year Started: 2014
The best thing about being a part of the Cane Creek Family is…: Working with like-minded people who share similar interests and are all working towards the same goals. The benefits and culture are pretty great too.
What you’ll find me doing on the weekends: Spending time outside with my family.
How I got here: I always wanted to work in the cycling/outdoor industry. When this opportunity came up, I jumped on it. I knew this was the place for me when I was asked during my interview, “what is your favorite beer, do you like coffee, and what kind of music do you like?”
Name: Kale Corwin Wagner
Position: Accountant
Year Started: 2018
The best thing about being a part of the Cane Creek family is…: The culture and work ethic of my peers
What you’ll find me doing on the weekends: Riding bikes of some form or fashion
How I got here: Got to know some of the riders at Cane Creek while out shred’n my local trails. A accounting position opened up and I went for it!
Name: Melissa Russello
Position: IT Manager
Year Started: 2019
The best thing about being part of the Cane Creek family is: Working with friendly and hard-working people.
What you’ll find me doing on the weekends: Exploring trails and rivers.
How I got here: While searching for my dream job, I learned about an opportunity for an IT Manager position at Cane Creek. After meeting everyone, I realized Cane Creek was the perfect company for me!
Name: Angie Day “Big Ang”
Position: AR / AP Clerk
Year Started: 2019
The best thing about being a part of the Cane Creek family is…: Being a valued member of an awesome team, plus the pet-friendly office is a bonus.
What you’ll find me doing on the weekends: Pumping iron…just kidding. You can find me exploring our local forest.
How I got here: Scrolling on Instagram and stumbled upon a Cane Creek post, caption read job opening. I followed up on the open Accounting Position and shortly after locked down a slamming job. When scrolling on social media pays off.
Sales and Rider Service
Name: Peter Gilbert
Position: Director of Distributor Sales
Year Started:1988
The best thing about being a part of the Cane Creek family is…: Our Crew, products and back yard play ground
What you’ll find me doing on the weekends: Riding the trails in Western North Carolina, Restoring Vintage road bikes…..cooking!
How I got here (at Cane Creek): Started out as the Western US Sales Rep
Name: T.R. Maloney
Position: Sr. OEM Sales Manager
Year Started: 2016
The best thing about being a part of the Cane Creek family is…the family spirit is real. We have employees that have worked here for 30+ years! We all know each other and care about each other like brothers and sisters. I love coming to the office every day. We work together, ride together and make and design amazing products we believe in.
What you’ll find me doing on the weekends: Riding bikes with my wife, hiking and enjoying the mountain life. Oh yeah, you may also find me ripping down mountain roads on my motorcycle at slightly above posted speed limits.
How I got here (at Cane Creek): In 1993 I volunteered to work at a bike shop for zero pay to learn the ropes, worked my way to bike mechanic, then sales associate, then bike store manager, to bike fitter to product manager and then finally joined the Cane Creek family as OEM Sales Manager. I am happy to have found my cycling home at Cane Creek after a fantastic 25-year journey to get here!
Name: Craig Tamburello
Position: Retail Service Manager
Year Started: 2016
The best thing about being a part of the Cane Creek family is…: That we all appreciate one another and the efforts it takes to get things done. The bottom line is that we all help where needed when challenges are at hand. If someone is sick or has a family situation, we will do everything we can to get the customer taken care of !
What you will find me doing on the weekends: Enjoying the mountains, grilling, and recovery.
How I got here: Cane Creek is all about cycling at the lifestyle level. I wanted to live in the bicycle industry in the southeast and knew this was the place to be. Hope you find your way here, too.
Name: Alex Dawson
Position: Technical Sales Engineer
Year Started: 2016
The best thing about being a part of the Cane Creek family is…: Teaching other people how our suspension works.
What you’ll find me doing on the weekends: Catching some air.
How I got here: Started my career with Suspension Experts Inc. where owner Kevin Booth gave me all the knowledge and tools to succeed and grow. Started at Cane Creek as a suspension technician and was trained by suspension master John Fennell. Eventually I lead production of our Helm fork and now I manage both rear shock and fork production. I always have, and always will, treat every piece of suspension as if it were my own.
Name: Will Kornell
Position: Retail Services Coordinator
Year Started: 2019
The best thing about being a part of the Cane Creek Family is: The extremely positive work environment, with people excited to make excellent products.
What you’ll find me doing on the weekends: Riding bikes, playing with my dogs, and attempting to recreate a 3 star Michelin dining experience from the comfort of my home.
How I got here: After working in various bike shops over the past decade as I bounced from California to British Columbia, then down through Texas before finally landing in the beautiful mountains of western North Carolina, I found myself near a component company I’d been recommending to people for the past 10 years.
Name: Nate Field
Position: Retail Services Coordinator
Year Started: 2019
The best thing about being a part of the Cane Creek family is…: The team aspect; be it developing new products, making monthly goals or going out for rides – we do it together.
What you’ll find me doing on the weekends: Biking, hiking, boating, beering – all the great stuff western North Carolina has to offer. And watching Spurs.
How I got here: First mountain bike in 1993…then racing…then shop gig…then pro team mechanic…then brief move to Hollywood…then a decade in yellow for Mavic…starting making googly eyes at Cane Creek in 2014…started going steady in 2019
Name: Brian Williams
Position: Sales Coordinator
Year Started: 2013
The best thing about being a part of the Cane Creek family is…: It truly feels like a family and since we are an employee owned company, we all share the desire to succeed and are proud of the products we make.
What you’ll find me doing on the weekends: Playing with my son, Clyde and sneaking out for a mountain bike ride when he naps.
How I got here: I’ve lived in the area for a while and Cane Creek was always a local company I thought I’d like to work for so when an opening came up I jumped on it and I’m so glad I did!
Name: Bryan Flack
Position: OEM Sales Manager
Year Started: 2014
The best thing about being a part of the Cane Creek family is…: Seeing the passion and energy that goes into everything we do. People here truly care about the components they design, build, and sell. We build cycling components that help people enjoy their bikes more and that is just so awesome.
What you’ll find me doing on the weekends: Sending it…
How I got here (at Cane Creek): I just wandered in the front door and they put me to work…
Production
Name: Nick Gilbert
Position: Production Planning Manager
Year Started: 2006
The best thing about being a part of the Cane Creek family is…: Working with like minded people to develop products we’re excited to use.
What you’ll find me doing on the weekends: Exploring the Blue Ridge
How I got here (at Cane Creek): Filled in one summer as the only Double Barrel builder and somehow no one asked me to leave.
Name: Dale Baker
Position: Operations Manager
Year Started: 2011
The best thing about being a part of the Cane Creek family is…: Coming from a large corporation and getting lost in the multitudes of others, it was clearly obvious Cane Creek had the unity of a small organization where everyone is viewed as valuable to our company. A company where work and home have balance. A company dedicated to providing the best positive end result for our customers and each other
What you’ll find me doing on the weekends: Family Time-Fishing-Hunting-Hiking-Camping-Fire Department
How I got here: During the economy down turn my remodeling business was between jobs in January of 2011 and Ralph asked did I want to come clean headsets for a couple days they was needing help. Those couple of days lead to a couple of months working as a Temp. associate. When offered a suspension tech job full time jumped at the offer because I could see a company that I wanted to be a part of and believed in. The rest is golden history.
Name: D. René Tuttle
Position: Production Scheduler
Year Started: Oct 2014
The best thing about being a part of the Cane Creek family is…:Seeing it all come together by working together.
What you’ll find me doing on the weekends: Hiking and picking
How I got here (at Cane Creek): After 9/11 and the decline of manufacturing, I did a little bit of everything. A temp service sent me to Cane Creek and we clicked.
Name: Dianne Waters
Position: Headset Assembly
Year Started: 1979
The best thing about being a part of the Cane Creek family is…: The people I work with.
What you’ll find me doing on the weekends: Spending time with my family
How I got here: A friend
Name: Kendra Hudson
Position: Assembler
Year Started: 2016
The best thing about being a part of the Cane Creek family is…: How everyone gets along. It doesn’t matter what department, we are all family. I love coming to a job that feels like you’re going home.
What you’ll find me doing on the weekends: Dealing with teenagers, catching up on housework, going to the gym and binge watching TV with my husband.
How I got here: I’ve been in manufacturing for most of my life, had a break between jobs, started here as a temp and there was no turning back. Love it. Won’t ever find another place like Cane Creek Cycling.
Name: Ralph Bagwell
Position: Production Assembly
Year Started: 2009
The best thing about being a part of the Cane Creek family is…: The people
What you’ll find me doing on the weekends: Catching up around the house
How I got here: I was looking fo a job when the economy went into the tank
Name: Jared Russell
Position: Lead Suspension Technician
Year Started: 2017
The best thing about being a part of the Cane Creek family is…: Working with so many friendly people who share a passion for bikes.
What you’ll find me doing on the weekends: Cooking, riding and eating!
How I Got Here: I started riding with some employees and bugged the crap out of them until I finally got in.
Name: Nathan Pantano
Position: Facilities Manager
Year Started: 2018
The best thing about being a part of the Cane Creek family is…: Working in the mountain bike industry with people who are equally as passionate about riding as I am
What you’ll find me doing on the weekends: Shredding Pisgah
How I got here: Working as a plumber for 12 years I was ready to pursue something I was more passionate about so I applied to Cane Creek until they hired me
Name: Charles R. McDowell
Position: Assembler – Technician
Year Started: 2014
The best thing about being a part of the Cane Creek family is…: the ability to learn from others and working with the family to help Cane Creek grow.
What you’ll find me doing on the weekends: Exploring, relaxing, working, fishing and so on… and on and on…
How I got here (at Cane Creek): Hattie Mills
Name: Alan Moffitt
Position: Suspension Tech
Year Started: 2018
The best thing about being a part of the Cane Creek family is…: Getting to know everyone on a personal level. Additionally seeing the passion and dedication that we have for this company and what we stand for, which is great, dependable, high-end products!
What you’ll find me doing on the weekends: Typical weekend for me can range from time with family and friends to biking/hiking.
How I got here: Joseph Grimes, and being in the right place at the right time.
Name: Harper Lee
Position: Assistant to the Production Planning Manager
Year Started: 2009
The best thing about being a part of the Cane Creek family is…: Making new friends and exchanging high fives for cookies
What you’ll find me doing on the weekends: Exploring, smelling things, running in creeks, sunbathing
How I got here: Back seat of a Subaru
Logistics
Name: Eric Smith
Position: Director of Supply Chain
Year Started: 2008
The best thing about being a part of the Cane Creek family is…: TIt sounds cliche, but its just that a family. Some of my best friends work here! The company is small enough that you know everyone, blue being employee owned means we all have invested interest in making CC the best if can be..
What you’ll find me doing on the weekends: Riding and racing my bikes, having a beer at the wedge, and going on hikes with my wife and son.
How I got here: I started working at a bike shop in college at the age of 19. I worked there for 9 years, working my way up to head mechanic. Then I worked for Hawley Co. as a purchaser for 5 1/2 years before moving to beautiful Asheville, North Carolina. I reached out to Peter Gilbert about any potential openings at Cane Creek.. and the rest was history.
Name: Greg Davis
Position: Inventory Manager
Year Started: 2012
The best thing about being a part of the Cane Creek family is…: Among other things, my riding buddies are all envious of my job.
What you’ll find me doing on the weekends: Trying to keep pace with my 5 yr old son, awaiting the day that he beats me to the top of the climb. Next week…?
How I got here: Proper alignment of the planets? Divine intervention? A general appreciation of all things bike? Let’s just call it good fortune.
Name: Joseph Grimes
Position: Purchasing Manager
Year Started: 2016
The best thing about being a part of the Cane Creek family is…: Building bike parts that the end user can appreciate, not only because they’re great products, but because we’re a small company and everyone here gives 110% every day. The lunch meetings (bike rides) are nice, too.
What you’ll find me doing on the weekends: Riding road bikes, mountain bikes, or gravelly adventure loops with Friends and family. Or hiking/camping with my wife and dogs (Jada/Lily).
How I got here (at Cane Creek): I-40 then US-25 (Hendersonville Rd).
Just kidding… After 13 years in bike shops, including 8 years in Boone and 2.5 years here in Asheville – I made the jump to our Retail Services Group with Craig, Erich and Slowey.
Name: John Fennell
Position: Quality Manager
Year Started: 2011
The best thing about being a part of the Cane Creek family is…: Getting to see the products we develop take shape and then riding them.
What you’ll find me doing on the weekends: Trying to get out on the bike.
How I got here: Left Managing a bike shop in Boone, NC to work in the suspension dept. here.
Name: Lena Warren
Position: Shipping
Year Started: 1990
The best thing about being a part of the Cane Creek family is…: Having great friendships while at work and outside of work. These friendships help the workday go by with entertainment.
What you’ll find me doing on the weekends: Practicing my pole dancing… just kidding (If only I were that exciting)! Enjoying time with family and friends.
How I Got Here: While attending ABTech Community College, one of my teachers knew of a position at Dia-Compe. He got me an interview and 27 years later I am still here.
Name: Colin Dickey
Position: Purchasing Coordinator
Year Started: 2019
The best thing about being a part of the Cane Creek family is…: I’d say the best thing about working at Cane Creek is all of the super friendly, hardworking, down-to-earth people who are passionate about what they do and who help validate my cycling obsession. Second to that, I absolutely love getting to build my own toys!
What you’ll find me doing on the weekends: Seeking out new singletrack in Pisgah; suffering up and flying down the Parkway; obsessively cleaning and tinkering with my bikes; or honing my culinary skills.
How I got here: I love building and fixing things and had long wanted to work in the cycling industry. So, when I saw an opening at Cane Creek for a suspension tech, I jumped at the opportunity. I didn’t make the cut the first time around, but ultimately the stars aligned for me!
Engineering, Research and Development
Position: Design Engineer
Year Started: 2011 as an intern. Left in 2017, now back in 2020.
The best thing about being part of the Cane Creek family is: Working in a laid back environment where everyone strives to make cool stuff.
What you’ll find me doing on the weekends: Hanging with my family, motocross, rock crawling/metal fabrication.
How I got here: I started riding and racing downhill in college and met an engineer at Cane Creek that ended up offering me an internship here.
Name: Sarah Montplaisir
Position: Director of Engineering
Year Started: 2019
The best thing about being a part of the Cane Creek family is…: Working with a like-minded group of passionate people making cool stuff!
What you’ll find me doing on the weekends: Riding mountain bikes, dirt bikes or rally car racing. Basically anything involving wheels and dirt roads!
How I got here: After working at several big companies, I was looking to move back to a small company, making products that were in line with my passions. After meeting a few people at Cane Creek, it was obvious that we were a match and the rest is history!
Name: Sam Anderson
Position: Product Manager
Year Started: 2014
The best thing about being a part of the Cane Creek family is…: Having some of my best friends employed here together is a real treat. In fact for 2 years, three of us were roommates, ride buddies, and co-workers. The entire company as a whole is truly an extended family – I wouldn’t exchange it for anything.
What you’ll find me doing on the weekends: When I’m not riding, I’m either building trails or playing music.
How I got here: I grew up down the street (literally down Cane Creek road) and built trails on private land 2 miles from Cane Creek. For a time I was the mysterious “Fletcher freeride kid”. When some of the engineers at the time needed a place to test new product, they found out about 16-year-old Sam’s trails and soon they were using me as a “Local Shock Tester” and I dreamt of one day officially working at Cane Creek. 6 years later I was hired on as a Marketing Coordinator have loved working here ever since.
Name: Tim Boyer
Position: Machine Shop Manager
Year Started: 2015
The best thing about being a part of the Cane Creek family is…: Using my skills in manufacturing to help the team build bad-ass products.
What you’ll find me doing on the weekends: Hiking with my family or Musky Fishing
How I got here: Divine Prophecy.
Name: Rob Bee
Position: Product Coordinator
Year Started: 2017
The best thing about being a part of the Cane Creek family is…: Working with others who are equally as bike obsessed as I am… It either validates my sanity or just proves that we congregate naturally!
What you’ll find me doing on the weekends: Raising my future shredders and riding whenever I can.
How I got here: A whirlwind of Bikes, Rock and Roll, and Chasing Dreams.
Name: Jeff LaForge
Position: Design Engineer
Year Started: 2017
The best thing about being a part of the Cane Creek family is…: Riding bikes with friends
What you’ll find me doing on the weekends: Enjoying the great outdoors
How I got here: #DreamJob
Name: Ashton Hall
Position: Manufacturing Engineer
The best part is being a part of the Cane Creek family is…: working in a place where everyone truly cares about making the best products possible. Everyone is always willing to help wherever needed and we give it all they have.
On the weekends you will find me: Doing anything that I can Outside. Biking, White Water Kayaking, Camping, Grilling and any other outdoor ‘ings that can get into!
How I got here: After spending a few years on the coast of NC, it was a desperate need for a change of scenery from flat beaches to rolling blue ridge mountains that brought me back to WNC.
Marketing
Name: Luke Bukoski
Position: Director of Marketing
Year Started: 2017
The best thing about being a part of the Cane Creek family is…: being part of a team that’s all in. Every day I get to work with a group of people who share the passion for making premium bike components that we really believe in.
What you’ll find me doing on the weekends: Riding on our endless miles of WNC gravel and singletrack, backpacking and camping in the Smokies or hanging out in downtown Asheville with my family.
How I got here: I used to wear a suit to work and spent 75% percent of my time in meetings. It was a great job with a great organization but it wasn’t my passion. Cane Creek needed a marketing director and I jumped at the chance to be part of a company and an industry that I loved.
Name: Andrew Slowey
Position: Manager of Rider Engagement
Year Started: 2015
The best thing about being a part of the Cane Creek family is…: Working in an industry that I love alongside some of my best friends
What you’ll find me doing on the weekends: Rip’n it up on my bike, spending time with Bo, or traveling to the next event
How I got here: Well my whole life changed when I had a big crash on my downhill bike simultaneously braking both of my wrists. I was at a crossroads in life and lucky for me the Cane Creek family welcomed me with open arms (pun intended).
Name: Colin Reis
Position: Internet Sales Manager
Year Started: 2017
The best thing about being a part of the Cane Creek family is…: The awesome people I get to work and ride with.
What you’ll find me doing on the weekends: Riding, Fishing, or anything outside.
How I got here (at Cane Creek): I was living in Michigan with my girlfriend and we decided it was time for a change, so we packed up our stuff and moved to beautiful Western North Carolina. Shortly after we arrived, I met some great friends through riding bikes, and a few of them worked at Cane Creek who were instrumental in bringing me on board.
Name: Bo Buddy
Position: Safety Inspector
Year Started: 2015
The best thing about being a part of the Cane Creek family is…: All of the treats!
What you’ll find me doing on the weekends: Chasing my friends, going to bike races, and/or eating sticks
How I got here: Well its a long story.. I’ll tell you for a treat.
