SUPIA Boards and Staff
A dynamic team of dedicated individuals donating their time and experience for the good of the industry and for the sport.
– Board of Directors –
BOARD MEMBER TERM:
2021-2022
Joe Lapekas, Lake Powell Paddleboards
Joe Lapekas is the Owner/Co-Founder of Lake Powell Paddleboards in Page, AZ; the only full-service Stand-up Paddleboard shop in Northern Arizona. Founded in 2013, their shop offers sales, rentals, and guided tours. Joe grew up in Decatur, MI. In 2012 Joe and his wife Jordan set off on a personal quest to paddle in all 50 states. Over 2 years and 120,000 miles later, they accomplished their goal. Joe has now paddled in all 50 states, from the Bayous of Louisiana to mountain lakes in Alaska and including parts of the Pacific, the Atlantic, and the Gulf of Mexico. Featured in the summer 2015 issue of Stand Up Journal.
BOARD MEMBER TERM:
2021-2022
Bill Ennis - Dig Paddlesports
Co-founder with wife, Michelle Ennis, and Owner of Dig Paddlesports, an outdoor recreation company based in Hurricane, UT. Offering rentals and tours, and started on the heels of the Great Recession, paddling was originally discovered as a way to effectively decompress and return to the design table with renewed vigor. Sharing the spirited peace of paddling and a love of outdoor engagement with diverse guests from around the globe and all walks of life has been a journey of joy for both Bill and Michelle.
Fluent in both English and Spanish, Bill has a passion for taking every opportunity to practice his bi-lingual skills with Spanish-speaking guests, as well as facilitating paddling-focused tours to Costa Rica.
BOARD MEMBER TERM:
2021-2022
Trudie Ransom - SUP Shack Santa Cruz
Most locals know the SUP Shack in the Santa Cruz Harbor, as it has become a go-to spot since it opened in 2011. Stand-up paddle boards or SUP are a great way to experience the waters of Santa Cruz.Owner and founder of the SUP Shack, Trudie Ransom has been drawn toward these boards since she first tried one.As a teenager Trudie wanted to be a marine biologist which was discouraged so she has spent her life chasing the ocean – growing up sailing in England, diving on the Great Barrier Reef, White water rafting in New Zealand, river-trekking in Thailand and stand up paddling in California with the sea otters, sea lions, dolphins and whales… she finally found her spot in Santa Cruz.It was a trip to Hanalei, Kauai, that really got the Trudie hooked on paddle boarding. After falling in love with the sport, she realized there was a business opportunity waiting at home in Santa Cruz.An entrepreneur at heart, Trudie returned to Santa Cruz and found a kiosk at the Santa Cruz Harbor where she could offer SUP to everyone. She started with just 6 SUPs, a couple of wetsuits, a Groupon customer database and a passion for getting everyone to paddle.After pounding the pavement, working hard, and not giving up, Trudie opened the SUP Shack in the heart of Santa Cruz in 2011. Since then, Trudie’s mission has been to create the best and safest environment for teaching stand up paddling to everyone.
TREASURER
BOARD MEMBER TERM:
2021-2022
Teri Carlin - Riverbound Sports
2021-2022
Drew Dickey - DXC Technology
Dave Kalama - Waterman / Athlete
Dave Kalama is a big wave surfer/tow-in surfer, stand-up paddle (SUP) surfer and racer, surf and SUP board shaper, windsurfer, outrigger canoe racer, private adventure guide, and celebrity watersports enthusiast. Kalama is credited with the co-development of the big wave surfing technique of tow-in surfing, along with Laird Hamilton, Darrick Doerner, and Buzzy Kerbox.[1] Recently, Kalama together with close friend Laird Hamilton have been actively promoting and mastering an ancient Hawaiian mode of water transportation and watersport called SUP, “stand-up paddling”, and he has begun a series of increasingly longer solo paddle events between various Hawaiian islands. Kalama and Hamilton are also credited with the co-development of “foil surfing” (hydrofoil surfing).
Andre Niemeyer - i9Media / Supconnect
Andre Niemeyer is CEO of i9media, a digital marketing agency with clients in various industries, including paddleboarding, surfing, auto, and more. His passion for stand up paddling led him to launch an online platform called “Supconnect,” which serves hundreds of thousands of enthusiasts around the world.
Prior to i9media, Niemeyer worked as an academic researcher in technology and a journal editor, all the while still deeply committed to his competitive watersports background. In the winter of 2006, after getting frustrated with some small surf, he picked a stand up paddle board and never turned back. The benefits were just too many: the ability to enjoy the ocean even when there are little or no waves; the excellent workout; and not to mention the incredibly cheerful and welcoming community. With a newfound passion, Niemeyer became deeply dedicated to the sport and to helping others to enjoy its life-changing benefits.
“The thrill of riding a standup paddleboard, together with its ease and universal accessibility, makes the sport one of the most exciting things to happen in the action world. Many of the hurdles previously associated with action sports (e.g., snow, wind, and waves) have been removed. And to make it even more inviting, paddleboarding is low-impact and requires no athletic prowess. With water making up more than 70% of the world, it’s no wonder why sometimes Supconnect has over 250,000 unique people weekly consulting its platforms, even though standup paddling is a fairly recent phenomenon. People are going in droves to the web to learn about it, but the industry is growing so rapidly that many companies have yet to adjust their marketing plan to tap into the unprecedented demand pouring into the Internet.”
SUPIA Staff
Monique Keefer - Financial Director
Monique is an avid beach lover, originally from Ventura, CA, residing in North County San Diego. She has over a decade of experience in the action sports industry from serving as the Controller of Boardworks Surf and then CFO of Surftech. Her prior experience includes accounting positions within footwear, restaurant and music production industries. In 2019 she went independent and began her own bookkeeping and consulting practice working with small to medium businesses and independent contractors across varied industries. She is excited to be working with SUPIA and be connected back to the world of watersports.
Alex Mauer - Administrative Director
Alex Mauer is a long-time Colorado resident who since the age of 12 has been riding the local river waves. More recently, he has enjoyed the wonders of stand up paddling and has become one of its most passionate advocates and representatives. We’re thrilled to have Alex take over our communications, social media, website and membership.