Our Contributors

Ted and Joan are the core of Bear Mountain Boats, but it takes a range of talents and trades to keep things running smoothly. Here are some of the people who contribute their time and experience to help make this small business an international name.

Matt Snell is Bear Mountain’s web guy. He produces the videos, blog posts, and photography we post online and does upkeep on the website. A writer and outdoor enthusiast, he enjoys combining his interests to make canoe-building resources as accessible as possible. You may have talked to Matt if you’ve reached out via one of our social media channels, though you’ll get Joan and Ted’s expertise on the more complicated building questions.

Bruce Kendall has been with Bear Mountain Boats for fifteen years. He’s a diligent and creative bookkeeper, and outside of the canoe business does much of his work for non-profits. He’s the proud owner of a Freedom 17, which he scooped up from one of our building classes. Although not a woodworker himself, Bruce nurses an addiction to woodworking videos and is a constant source of tips and recommendations. Joan and Ted also rely on Bruce to act as tiebreaker in business decisions.

Randy Pfeifer has supported the Bear Mountain Boats Builder Forum for several years. In addition to responding to questions on the forum and sharing his building experience, he is responsible for screening new forum applicants to ensure a safe environment for all users. He has built and restored numerous wooden canoes/kayaks and boats, including Redbird, Freedom 15 and Freedom Solo designs. He also makes lightweight paddles. Randy is a senior engineering executive at IBM with a wide range of experience in leading the development of complete real-time communication systems. He has also had a long relationship with the Boy Scouts of America, where he has served as Scout Master and High Adventure Coordinator, helping youth develop their skills and love of nature. Randy is married with two grown sons (both Eagle Scouts) and lives in Warrenville, Illinois, USA.