Retail Store, Austin, Texas
March 21, 2003 - The official first day of spring that year and, appropriately, the day we officially became the owners of Hill Country Outdoor Power. We started out with just four employees, and that included our new owner/General Manager, Andrew Fogarasi. As of 2009 we''ve grown to 12 store employees and 30 employees of our partner store, Partstree.com.
Andy and his partner, Doug Hooks, are both MBA, University of Texas graduates with split loyalties - they both went to undergrad at Texas A&M in College Station, big rivals here in Texas. Andy and Doug both come from backgrounds in the high tech field. They were searching for a business with good growth opportunity that would keep them closer to home in Austin when the HCOP opportunity presented itself.
Andy started working in the retail store in 2003 while Doug remained in the high tech world until we finally roped him into day-to-day operations in 2007. Getting to know the business was the first challenge. Learning all about the brands we represent, what would work best in our area, and what held up the best were paramount. We are constantly evaluating new equipment lines and believe our current line-up encompasses the best the industry has to offer.
Along the way, we''ve managed to find some really good people to help us out. About three months into new ownership, Andy asked his wife, Susan, to come in and help with the books for about three weeks. She never left! Turns out the books were a little more to handle than three weeks worth of work.
Nick Larsen, a frequent customer, joined our team in 2005 working the counter. He is now our Operations Systems Architect and spends most of his time writing software to help keep track of the inventory for both the retail store and the internet business.
2005 also saw the addition of Bryan Lee, our Information Technology Manager. Bryan is responsible for the behemoth that is PartsTree.com. He also manages the internal computer network and works to enhance the efficiency of all electronic transactions. Mixing his degrees in Computer Science and Business from UT Austin, he seeks ways to market parts online and program the website to keep customer visits enjoyable. Bryan is also our resident Cookie Monster.
Edward Roberts joined the HCOP family in 2007 and has quickly worked his way up to Assistant Store Manager. Ed works closely with our technicians to make sure the service experience at Hill Country runs smoothly.
We are proud to announce the new addition of Jim Dees as our Store Manager. Jim comes to us with an extensive background in outdoor equipment sales. We look forward to having him on our team for a long time.
2007 also saw our HCOP family grow by a very special addition. Doug and his wife, Elizabeth, welcomed Riley Elizabeth to the family and we soon put her to work testing the new equipment!
2009 saw Andy and Susan adding to the roster with the arrival of Leah Zsuzsanna. Morgan Grace made an appearance to Doug and Elizabeth just 11 weeks later!
As to the business, we''re staying focused on improving our operations and are constantly working on all areas of the business ... our internal processes, our website and our product and service offerings. We have more improvements planned, so please visit our site regularly to see how we''re changing to better serve you.
Andy and his partner, Doug Hooks, are both MBA, University of Texas graduates with split loyalties - they both went to undergrad at Texas A&M in College Station, big rivals here in Texas. Andy and Doug both come from backgrounds in the high tech field. They were searching for a business with good growth opportunity that would keep them closer to home in Austin when the HCOP opportunity presented itself.
Andy started working in the retail store in 2003 while Doug remained in the high tech world until we finally roped him into day-to-day operations in 2007. Getting to know the business was the first challenge. Learning all about the brands we represent, what would work best in our area, and what held up the best were paramount. We are constantly evaluating new equipment lines and believe our current line-up encompasses the best the industry has to offer.
Along the way, we''ve managed to find some really good people to help us out. About three months into new ownership, Andy asked his wife, Susan, to come in and help with the books for about three weeks. She never left! Turns out the books were a little more to handle than three weeks worth of work.
Nick Larsen, a frequent customer, joined our team in 2005 working the counter. He is now our Operations Systems Architect and spends most of his time writing software to help keep track of the inventory for both the retail store and the internet business.
2005 also saw the addition of Bryan Lee, our Information Technology Manager. Bryan is responsible for the behemoth that is PartsTree.com. He also manages the internal computer network and works to enhance the efficiency of all electronic transactions. Mixing his degrees in Computer Science and Business from UT Austin, he seeks ways to market parts online and program the website to keep customer visits enjoyable. Bryan is also our resident Cookie Monster.
Edward Roberts joined the HCOP family in 2007 and has quickly worked his way up to Assistant Store Manager. Ed works closely with our technicians to make sure the service experience at Hill Country runs smoothly.
We are proud to announce the new addition of Jim Dees as our Store Manager. Jim comes to us with an extensive background in outdoor equipment sales. We look forward to having him on our team for a long time.
2007 also saw our HCOP family grow by a very special addition. Doug and his wife, Elizabeth, welcomed Riley Elizabeth to the family and we soon put her to work testing the new equipment!
2009 saw Andy and Susan adding to the roster with the arrival of Leah Zsuzsanna. Morgan Grace made an appearance to Doug and Elizabeth just 11 weeks later!
As to the business, we''re staying focused on improving our operations and are constantly working on all areas of the business ... our internal processes, our website and our product and service offerings. We have more improvements planned, so please visit our site regularly to see how we''re changing to better serve you.