VISTA, Calif. (BRAIN) — Chief operating officer Joe Hawk is retiring after 29 years at Haro Bikes.
"The recent company moves have opened the door for my departure, and I am excited for all at Haro as well as for my next steps forward," Hawk said. "When I look back, it will always be about the relationships and the friendships I have made along the way. With a combined 40 years, there have been a ton of them, and I am super grateful for those."
Before joining Haro Bikes in 1993 as COO, Hawk was director of marketing at Raleigh for nearly 10 years.
"This is a retirement well-earned and planned by Joe for some time," said Rickey Strawn, Haro's vice president of domestic sales. "If you know Joe, he's never been one for a lot of fanfare; quietly heading into retirement is just how he prefers to go into his next chapter."
For Haro Bikes, the next chapter will be led by shareholder and new CEO Jayu Yang. Last month during a two-day workshop with the Haro team, Yang laid out her vision of the future, which included a commitment to invest in the brand, product, and people.
"We all actively participated in an exchange of ideas on how to take the Haro brand to the next level," Yang said. "I was inspired by the energy generated when we all collaborated together and look forward to this next chapter."
Haro Bikes was founded in 1978 by Bob Haro, who began the company making number plates in his mother's kitchen. Haro Designs was formed shortly after in 1980 and was based out of Torrance, California. Credited with the creation of BMX "freestyle," Haro was the first to produce a freestyle-specific frame in 1982. Today, the company employs 25 people.
