Iain founded BVG in 1991, after
a short career with retail group Marks & Spencer.
BVG was initially a one-man operation and Iain is
proud to have carried out each of the tasks he now
asks his team of 220 staff to carry out to the same
high standard.
He has received numerous business awards both individually and on behalf of the company, including the Welsh Young Business Achiever of the year, Welsh Innovative Company of the Year, Welsh Exporter of the Year and the Welsh Excellence in Growth award.
Iain no longer works full time for BVG Airflo Group but seems to fill his spare time up with a constant stream of 'property projects' and now considers himself to be an accomplished JCB driver!
Iain, 36, lives in Hay-On-Wye with his fiance Emma and son Max.
Andrew Crees, Finance
Director
Andrew joined BVG in 1993, shortly
after graduating from university with a BSc (Hons)
degree in Mathematics.
During his time with the company Andrew has either
carried out or been responsible for most of the key
functions of the business. Today he heads our finance
team and plays a key role in the ongoing development
of our SOPS, accounting and communications IT systems.
Andrew, 34, lives in one of the out-lying villages
to Brecon. With a multitude of interests including
photography, classic motorcycles and DIY he only wishes
he had more spare time to enjoy them.
Richard Wothers, Production
Director - Airflo
Richard is our longest serving
member of staff, having started in 1988 shortly after
graduating from Liverpool University. During his 18
years with the company he has played a key role in
the development of the Airflo fly line and was appointed
Production Director in 1997. His joint responsibilities
are running the production facility and R&D.
Richard is a keen fly fisherman with professional
qualifications in casting instruction. His fly fishing
ability has enabled him to develop many new innovative
products and production techniques, the latest of
which “the Ridge line” has recently been
awarded the 2006 Cardiff University Innovation Award.
Richard, 40, and his wife Carol live locally with
their two children. When not fly fishing his interests
include cricket, rugby and squash.
Gareth Jones, Sales
Director - Airflo
Gareth joined Airflo in June 1991
as a technical assistant, providing technical and
fly fishing advice to our retail customers. He left
the company for a short time and returned to head
up Airflo Direct, a mail order operation that was
the forerunner to Fishtec.
In 1996 Gareth was promoted to Airflo Sales Director
with responsibility for over 400 domestic and export
accounts. His role involves extensive traveling around
the world supporting our export customers as they
develop our overseas markets.
Gareth is a passionate fly-fisher and has fished all
over the world. He has been a regular member of the
Welsh International team for the last 15 years, achieving
Bronze individual and team Silver medals at World
Championship level.
Robert Williams, Purchasing
Director - Airflo
Robert, originally qualified as
a surveyor and later was one of the two founder partners
of Tightlines Direct, a mailorder and retail fly fishing
company subsequently acquired by BVG Airflo Group.
Robert joined the group in March 2000 and took responsibility
for the product development, purchasing & marketing
functions for the fishing mail order, Airflo and Total
Fishing Gear divisions.
Robert is a passionate fisherman, has fished for his
country at the highest level and spends most of his
spare time on the riverbank.
Dan Price, Sales Director
- BVG
Dan joined BVG-Airflo in 1996,
being promoted to Sales Director in 2000. Dan heads
up a large team that is responsible for developing
BVG's trade distribution, Reader Offer and Shopping
Channel businesses.
Dan spends several weeks a year in the Far East sourcing
new and innovative products for the group.
Dan, 34, is married and lives in Hay-on-Wye with wife
Emma and two son's Theo and Jake. Outside work he
enjoys spending time with his family and the occasional
ice climbing and kayaking trip.
Simon Locke, E-commerce
Director
Having graduated from Greenwich
University in 1992 with a BA (Hons) in Marketing,
Simon returned to his native Wales to become marketing
manager of the Welsh Institute of Sport. In 1997 he
decided to combine a passion for fly fishing with
a business idea and set up mail order fishing tackle
company Tightlines Direct with fellow Director Robert
Williams. Tightlines became part of the BVG-Airflo
group in 2000 and Simon is now Sales & Marketing
Director for Clifford James.
Simon is married to Alex a long suffering fishing
widow and lives in Llandeilo with son Joe and daughter
Megan. When not fly fishing Simon's other passions
are rugby, soccer, playing guitar and avoiding all
housework!