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Chemistry On and Off the Lanes 22
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COVER STORY
Kegel and Chris Chartrand are built for bowling
The Kegel team
By Sean Krainert ompanies that thrive for generations have two things in common: vision and resiliency. Kegel LLC, founded in 1981 by the late John Davis, has established itself as a mainstay in the business and sport of bowling and continues to evolve. As leadership passed from John Davis to nextgeneration leader Chris Chartrand, Kegel moved forward with confidence and innovation. Chris loves bowling, and bowling loves Chris.
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Bowling Is Where It All Begins Born in New York and raised in West Palm, FL, Kegel’s CEO and president Chris Chartrand was introduced to the sport of bowling at an early age. His father bowled scratch leagues, and he was always filled with excitement to go along with him as a kid. He started bowling Sunday mornings with his family and remembers his first bowling ball was a Colombia White Dot. He also recalled that ball getting stuck on his thumb and breaking all the bones in his thumb and hand. He persevered and eventually participated
Chris Chartrand (center) keeps calm and carries on when everything is going crazy. IBI
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COVER STORY in youth scratch tournaments and later secured parttime work in a pro shop. “My first love has [been] and always will be bowling. I started bowling when I was 5 years old and haven’t stopped since,” says Chris about his lifelong passion for the sport. After high school, with ambitions to earn an MBA, Chris attended community college before transferring to Florida State University. He remembered hearing about the bowling team and thinking it would be a fun addition to his busy school and work schedule. He joined the team for two years but remained focused on his long-term professional goals. “In high school, I was part of the Future Business Leaders of America. I was 17 and working in a pro shop drilling bowling balls. Bowling was my entire life. I remember at one point I had to fill out a form about my life goals, and I wrote that my dream job was to be president of a bowling ball company. I got pretty close!” exclaimed Chris.
Kegel owner Jonathan Mitchell with Kegel president and CEO Chris Chartrand
CHRIS CHARTRAND’S SPIN ON THE BOWLING BUSINESS In 1999, when I came to Kegel, we had many discussions about the future of bowling — this was a major concern for our company. 20 years later, our company has experienced tremendous growth and remains very healthy. A few years ago, our executive team abandoned thoughts of diversification in favor of doubling down on the bowling industry. We’re currently more bullish than we’ve ever been about bowling’s future. Innovation is happening everywhere, and that’s brought excitement to our industry and attracted substantial investment. It seems clear that overall the industry is heading towards clear market segments. No longer are the experiences similar in all bowling centers across the country and around the world. Operators are deploying different business models to target different types of customers. Many remain committed to competitive bowling, servicing the league bowling base, while newer, higher-end bowling-anchored entertainment venues are enhancing bowling’s appeal to a very large audience of casual bowlers. I’m always encouraged when introducing new waves of customers to bowling because it’s such a wonderful activity and sport. I’d like to see a more concerted effort directed towards this large group of casual bowlers (69 million people bowl 26
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once per year!) to hook them on bowling more seriously so they become lifelong customers. Some companies, like Clutch Bowling powered by Specto, are attempting to blend educational technology within an entertainment experience to help people knock down more pins. We all know how competitive people are: if they knock down more pins, and feel like they’re better at something, the likelihood that they bowl again increases. Then, who knows, perhaps they feel inspired to buy their own ball and join a league. The model that seems to still be finding its way is the hybrid model. It’s critical that some centers find a healthy balance of league bowling while introducing some entertainment elements that enhance the financial viability of the business. The more traditional centers that do this, the more lanes remain available for the loyal league base. The market that I’ve seen do this the best is the Korean market. There has been rapid expansion over the last three years, growing from 650 bowling centers to approximately 1,000 centers. Many of these centers are owned by KPBA bowlers with a passion for the sport. These centers still cater to the sport and competitive bowling, yet blend many elements we see in FECs here in the U.S., like redemption areas, higher end dining, and more. For those of us that are still very passionate about the sport side of bowling, this is the most encouraging format for the future because it captures the best of both worlds.
COVER STORY
Left to right: Don Agent, Dennis Sheirs, Chris Chartrand John Davis (sitting, center) surrounded by his beloved Kegel team
The Moment That Altered The Future After graduating from Florida State University with a BS in Communication, Chris welcomed an invitation from John Davis to work at Kegel in 1999. Chris spent a weekend with the Kegel executive team to discuss a sales representative role. Chris had only spent 11 months working for PayChex, a payroll and human resources company, when John offered Chris the sales job. While Chris appreciated the corporate training he received at his first job out of college, he had no hesitation about joining the Kegel family. “When I did my exit interview at PayChex, the lady told me that I was making the biggest mistake of
Linda and John Davis, the founders of Kegel 28
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my life. She said I wouldn’t be with Kegel for more than two years, and if I was, she would buy me a Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse dinner. It’s been over 20 years now, and I still haven’t heard from her,” joked Chris. “Clearly it wasn’t the biggest mistake of my life, but the best decision of my life.” From 1999 to 2002, Chris learned the ropes at Kegel while excelling at his position as a sales representative. In 2002, he was promoted to vice president of sales and marketing. It was during the eight years following that
COVER STORY Chris really began to get to know John and take an active role in understanding and creating his vision. “John was an amazing leader, and he gave me so much opportunity while I was young. He was a visionary, and an absolute genius, and so unlike all the other traditional corporate leaders out there. I knew that an MBA would only be a complementary factor to everything I had already learned from John. His mentorship made me want to put as many contemporary tools in my toolbox at that time so I could really do a good job for Kegel,” said Chris. The relationship between Chris and John became the beating heart of Kegel. John planted the seeds of leadership in Chris, ensuring that Kegel would live beyond John; Chris’s belief in and understanding of John’s vision empowered Chris to make decisions that were best for the company.
Diversification With an entrepreneurial spirit and a busy mind, Chris continued to focus on what he always believed: diversify or die. In the mid-2000s, Kegel did indeed begin to diversify, with Fizzion, a Kegel-developed and distributed patented, water-soluble grease cleaner which has expanded into the consumer market as a pet cleaner. The success of Fizzion gave Chris the foundation to move forward in his position at Kegel; he took on the central role at the company, allowing John to spend more time outside of the spotlight. After over a decade of working closly with John, Chris was promoted to president Zach Szczepanksi, Kegel chemist (left), and Erin Wall, Kegel marketing and executive coordinator (center), clown around with Chris Chartrand, Kegel president and CEO (right)
A Loss That Resonated Throughout The Industry
Team collaboration drives Kegel’s growth
in 2010. Chris made weekly visits to connect with John at his home, near the Lakes Wales, FL, Kegel headquarters. As the new leader of the company, Chris found his time with John invaluable. “I had always wanted to be part of the movement,” shared Chris, “ that combined the sport of bowling with entertainment.” 30
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On January 25, 2013, John Davis unexpectedly passed away at the age of 64, survived by his wife Linda, their children, and grandchildren. John’s legacy continues to inspire Kegel’s success. John and Chris had spent so much time together that there was never a question about the succession plan. Chris worked with the company’s partners to realize Kegel’s vision of creating products within and beyond the bowling business. In 2016, Chris was appointed CEO by the new, sole owners of Kegel, Jonathan and Michelle Mitchell. It was with their trust and support that Kegel and Chris continue to flourish in the space connecting traditional bowling centers, FECs, and the sport of bowling.
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Giving Credit Where Credit Is Due Chris knows that Kegel’s success is due largely to its dedicated, loyal employees. When he became president, one of the first things he did was create an employee recognition program. “I remember that day I was promoted in 2010, and all of the annual anniversaries before that. They meant so much to me,” remembers Chris. “I want to celebrate every milestone with every employee.” Chris has worked closely with the many different teams and divisions at Kegel, all of whom are dedicated to pushing the boundaries and expanding the brand. This creative mindset was the foundation of the Specto Coaching Platform and the Torch Targeting System. “We were trying to walk that line between practice, competition, and fun. Specto is that entity that brings it all together and invests in all aspects of the industry,” said Chris. Fostering strong internal relationships is the cornerstone of Chris’s tenure as Kegel’s president and CEO. To that end, Chris planned a special event to kick off 2019. Kegel shut down for a day while the entire company participated in different activities, including an outdoor ropes course challenge and team-building games. Derrick Brooks, the Tampa Bay Buccaneer Hall of Famer, was the keynote speaker. Chris’s leadership and dedication to employee satisfaction has resulted in Kegel being named one of the best places to work in Polk County, FL. And it has been one of the Best Companies to Work For in Florida for the past three years running, most recently climbing to #9 in their category.
Life Outside Of Kegel
Chris’s son, Austin, loves sporting clays almost as much as he loves bowling
Mrs. Nicole Chartrand
As passionate as Chris is about Kegel, he is equally passionate about his family and friends. While working his way up the Kegel ladder, Chris married his wife Nicole on October 22, 2005, and they settled down in Winter Haven, FL. Their daughter Reghan was born, and then their son Austin. The Chartrands recently purchased their dream home in Lakeland, FL. It is the perfect place for his kids, in an amazing location, with one unique architectural flare. “The home is inspired by Frank Lloyd Wright, but with an unexpected bonus,” explains Chris. “The builder and previous owner thought it would be cool to infuse the house with bowling lane material! The shelves of the entryway closet are made from bowling lane wood, along with other features throughout the house, including an office desk, laundry room table, and closet doors. It was probably more than a one-in-a-million chance we found this house,” said Chris. When they are not enjoying their bowling-inspired house, the Chartrands spend time at their cabin in Blue Ridge, GA, which has its own theme: Middle Earth. Both Chris and his kids spend a lot of time practicing their new family hobby - sporting clays, a form of clay pigeon shooting, often described as golf with a shotgun because a typical course includes 10 to 15 different shooting stations laid out over natural terrain. Reghan and Austin 32
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Chris congratulates his daughter Reghan after her performance
participate in all of the typical American kid activities, and take care of two dogs, one fish, one gecko, and a handful of cats. “Never a dull moment at the Chartrand home!” exclaims Chris. And there is never a dull moment when Chris is around. ❖
Sean Krainert is a freelance copywriter living in the San Francisco Bay Area specializing in real estate, hospitality, and mental health writing. He is also an alumni of the Wichita State Shocker bowling program.