Our newsletter, Surfaces Monthly, typically focuses on industry events, tournaments, new technologies and product information. On this issue, we would like to take some time to introduce you to the backbone of our company: our team. Hailing from various corners of the world, they are united by a shared passion for innovation, collaboration, and building relationships.
Carrie is VP Asia Pacific for ICP Group, overseeing sports surfaces in the region. With years of experience in construction materials including coatings and cementitious products, she enjoys working closely at a project level to ensure great outcomes.
Working with sporting and government bodies across the region, Carrie is super passionate about the benefits of the new CSS CoolTop heat reducing range of products. Carrie enjoys supporting our team and customer network globally, seeking opportunities and visiting amazing CSS projects.
Leon is our enthusiastic Business Manager looking after ICP brands in the southern region of Australia and NZ. Leon has been a tennis coach, player and managed the Bendigo Tennis facility in regional Victoria before joining CSS in 2018.
Leon has years of practical experience and knowledge in sports surfaces and enjoys working on key projects nationally. His support to customers is second to none.
Nick Cheal is our seasoned campaigner and rejoined ICP group as our Export Manager for APAC early 2023. This is Nick’s third stint at CSS, it seems it is in his DNA. As a result, Nick has years of experience in sports surfaces and court construction to draw on. Firstly, with Rebound Ace, secondly with CSS and Plexipave, now DecoTurf and CoolTop.
Nick now travels providing project and surfacing advice throughout the APAC region, working with our customers to produce some fantastic court results. He attended the Shanghai Rolex Masters and the China Open late in 2023, where DecoTurf was the chosen surface for these key events in the region.
Tim is our NSW/ACT Sales Manager, joining CSS in 2023. Tim’s background in construction materials in companies such as Boral and Parchem brings a wealth of knowledge and depth of experience to the team assisting customers, especially when it comes to concrete construction and remediation. Tim enjoys engaging with our network and assisting with projects of all shapes and sizes.
Russell is our QLD/NT Sales Manager. Russell is the champion of our new CoolTop product, with more courts in Queensland and the Northern Territory with this new technology than anywhere else in the world.
Russell’s customer relationships are extremely important, and he works hard to support them with their projects at every level. He has a flair for marketing ideas and enjoys working with specifiers.
Blaine Bishop is based in the UK and covers the EMEA Region for the CSS business. Blaine has been supporting the CSS business since 2021 and works closely with our established and growing installation network covering all areas of the EMEA Region. If you need advice or support regarding your installation or plans, please contact Blaine who has a wealth of experience to share.
A member of the team since 1998, Tom has worn pretty much every hat there is to wear at CSS, from sales to marketing to operations. Tom brings extensive product and industry knowledge to the table. He has been a frequent presenter at events for both the ASBA and PTR, has served on several committees for ASBA and has been published in a wide variety of industry publications.
Tom is a diehard Penn State fan and an avid collector of flags from around the world. He lives in the Boston area with his wife and twin daughters.
With more than 20 years’ industry experience, Mike joined CSS at the end of 2018 and has helped shepherd our business development efforts and strategic partnerships across the country. Mike has taken great pride in advancing our lead generation programs to truly benefit our industry partners. If you are growing, we are growing. With an understanding of the history and impact the brands have to the industry he continues to build upon the 70 plus years.
Lee joined CSS in 2019, after several years in the mortgage and real-estate industry, and he has not looked back. As a former NCAA Division 1 athlete and MLB prospect, Lee has brought a unique insider’s perspective to the sports surfacing industry which has helped him establish connections and open doors across the country.
Lee lives in the Cleveland area with his wife and young son.
With 20 years of experience selling indoor sports surfacing for two major manufacturers, Dave joined ICP in late 2023 to help drive the CSS brands in the western US. After living in Colorado for over 30 years, Dave and his wife are moving to San Diego to embrace a downsized lifestyle in the SoCal sun now that their two children have flown the coop.
When he’s not cultivating specs or calling on customers, a love of golf, golden retrievers and cooking take up much of his free time.
With nearly four decades of sports construction experience under his belt, Paul has been an essential member of the CSS team for more than 25 years. Upon arriving at what was then California Products, Paul was instrumental in growing the Plexitrac brand in the industry with his past relationships and running track knowledge. His overall product knowledge and ability to technically assist customers has made him an important asset to California Sports and its entire customer base.
A onetime Division 1 pitcher in baseball, Paul is also a diehard New England sports fan, an avid golfer and live music lover. Paul resides in central Massachusetts with his wife, Patti and young son, PJ.
The newest member of the squad, Brian is also the only member of our team who has been both a coach and a tennis director, so he brings a valuable and unique breadth of experience to CSS. In his past life, Brian has been a court builder and sales rep and relies on his deep knowledge and strong interpersonal skills to help our customers and partners succeed.
Brian lives in the Denver area with his wife Elaine and loves to play tennis, pickleball and golf.
Based in Central Florida, Neil brings more than 30 years of real-world court construction experience to the job every day- if it’s out there, he’s seen it and he’s fixed it. Neil’s primary role is to help to train our partners across North America on the tricks and techniques of installing Rebound Ace cushioned systems.
In his spare time, Neil enjoys his time golfing, mountain biking, cooking and enjoying meals with his wife. He is happily married and father to some great children and stepchildren.
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