Long-standing experts in the industry
Our staff is experienced, knowledgeable and accessible. We bring to the table the skills and enthusiasm to make every project a success and strive to provide the highest level of customer service and support.
Nick Philbin
Nick Philbin
General Manager/Owner
Serving California customers in Sonoma, Marin, and San Francisco counties.
Nick is the General Manager and owner of Ross Recreation. His focus is to continue to build the brand and legacy that has sustained Ross Recreation for close to five decades. Nick enjoys spending time with his family, skiing, fly fishing, and traveling.
Jon Bawden
Jon Bawden
Sales Representative
Serving Northern California customers in Butte, Colusa, Contra Costa, Glenn, Lake, Napa, Plumas, Sacramento, Sierra, Solano, Sutter, Yolo and Yuba counties.
Since joining Ross Recreation in January 2000, Jon has had the opportunity to represent Ross Recreation in most of Northern California and Oregon. This unique journey allows Jon to bring an unparalleled depth of experience and industry specific knowledge when customers are looking for design, construction and maintenance solutions. Jon has a deep appreciation for the sense of community we help create and indulges in it with his family frequently.
Alex Hailey
Alex Hailey
Sales Representative
Serving Northern California customers in Alameda, San Mateo, and Santa Clara counties.
Alex joined our team in 2010 and provided administrative, marketing, sales, and construction support before moving into the position of sales representative in 2014 to better serve our customers in the Bay Area. With a passion for early child development and social equity initiatives, Alex brings a design-focused approach to projects and has a passion for creating spaces where communities can grow and thrive. In her spare time, Alex values spending time with her family, volunteers in the community, and enjoys learning about the world through travel.
Casey Hilbert
Casey Hilbert
Sales Representative
Serving Northern California customers in Fresno, Gilroy (city), Inyo, Kings, Madera, Merced, Monterey, Morgan Hill (city), San Benito, Santa Cruz, and Tulare counties.
Casey’s strong customer service background and love of the outdoors align seamlessly with his daily goal of helping others to design and build parks and playgrounds for our community to enjoy for years to come. When not at work, Casey enjoys playing soccer, basketball, golf, and exploring the Monterey Peninsula with his wife Katie, daughter Charlotte, and dog Harvey
Ben Stanford
Ben Stanford
Sales Representative
Serving Oregon customers in Clackamas, Crook, Deschutes, Hood River, Jefferson, Klamath, Marion, Multnomah, Umatilla, Union and Wasco counties.
Ben has spent his career developing a passion for being consultative and providing the highest level of customer service. Helping out in the local communities and leaving a tangible impact is something that Ben loves about being a part of Ross Recreation.
Born and raised in Oregon, Ben spends his time exploring all that Oregon has to offer. Whether it be hiking, indulging in Portland’s food scene or enjoying one of the many festivals and microbrews, Ben can be found soaking up everything this state has to offer. He is more than willing to help with any park and recreational projects or give suggestions on things to do in Oregon.
Len Fransen
Len Fransen
Sales Representative
Serving Oregon customers in Benton, Clatsop, Columbia, Coos, Curry, Douglas, Jackson, Josephine, Lane, Lincoln, Linn, Polk, Tillamook, Washington and Yamhill.
Len brings over twenty years of commercial landscape and municipal equipment sales experience to Ross Recreation. His focus on customer service and the ability to develop long-term partnerships with his clients translates to successful projects and long lasting relationships. During down time, Len enjoys basketball, tennis, music, fishing and boating throughout the many Pacific Northwest rivers and lakes.
Nicole Nowak
Nicole Nowak
Sales Representative
Serving Northern California customers in Alpine, Almador, Calaveras, El Dorado, Mariposa, Mono, Nevada, Placer, San Joaquin, Tuolumne, Stanislaus counties, along with Western Nevada customers in Washoe, Douglas, Carson City, Lyon, and Storey counties.
Bringing her years of experience in the playground industry, Nicole joined the Ross team in 2022 to serve our customers in the Central Valley and Foothills of California. Nicole has a background in design and is passionate about creating safe, fun, and inviting outdoor spaces for communities to enjoy. Nicole enjoys spending time in nature and exploring the beautiful wilderness of California when she’s not in the office.
Rebecca Whitten
Rebecca Whitten
Inside Sales Associate
Rebecca Whitten has been with Ross Recreation since 1999. She enjoys working with our customers to find solutions to their needs for site furnishings and play structure parts. Her co-workers call her their “Playground Parts Guru”.
Most weekends you will find her shooting traditional archery or camping with a medieval historical society called the SCA.
Max Stoltz
Max Stoltz
Business Development Associate
Max supports our team by providing sales, marketing, and general administrative support. With a degree in Parks, Recreation, and Tourism Management from North Carolina State University, Max strives to help create inclusive spaces for communities, while best supporting our customers. When not in the office, Max enjoys traveling to new places, visiting different ice cream shops, and watching The Great British Baking Show.
Anna McNutt
Anna McNutt
Inside Sales Associate
Anna provides sales and administrative support to our team. After graduating from Oregon State University with a degree in Tourism, Recreation, and Adventure Leadership, she strives to make recreation a more accessible and inclusive space. In her free time, you will find Anna spending time with friends, floating in the river, or searching for the best sandwich shop in town.
Heather Hailey
Heather Hailey
Accounting Manager
Heather is Ross Recreation’s Accounting Manager and has been a part of our team since 2008. She manages all of Ross Recreation’s accounting and financial reporting as well as acting as our contract’s administrator. When she isn’t working, Heather enjoys visiting local Sonoma County wineries and spending time with her family.
Susan Surmick
Susan Surmick
Accounting and Administration
Susan is the Accounting and Operations Administrator at Ross Recreation and has been with the company since 2008. She handles all of the day-to-day accounting functions and performs all Salesforce administration and management. When she is not in the office, she volunteers at the Santa Rosa Charter School For the Arts and Santa Rosa High School, where her children Seth and Teagan go to school.
Susan Philbin
Susan Philbin
Accounting & Finance
With an accounting and finance background before joining Ross Recreation, Susan provides financial and accounting oversight for the company, while managing payroll, benefits and insurance.
Laura Hagan
Laura Hagan
Project Coordinator
Laura leads our construction coordination and logistics for all California based projects. With a keen eye for detail honed by her years of experience in business administration and project management, Laura thrives bringing inclusive outdoor spaces to life. Outside of work, Laura enjoys nothing more than spending time in the mountains fishing, mountain biking, snowboarding, and most of all, spending time with her family