Facilitator Stats

years in the ceo seat
19
largest team managed
# of start-ups
3
# of times as CEO
2
# of successful exits
1

TOP Accomplishments

  • Placed Kurgo products in over 5,000 pet stores
  • Grew Kurgo every year for 16 sequential years, 8 years in a row in the Inc. 5000
  • Successfully exited Kurgo to a strategic buyer

Facilitator Stats

Facilitator since
2019
years in the ceo seat
19
years as senior executive
largest team managed
# of start-ups
3
# of times as CEO
2
# of successful exits
1

top accomplishments

  • Placed Kurgo products in over 5,000 pet stores
  • Grew Kurgo every year for 16 sequential years, 8 years in a row in the Inc. 5000
  • Successfully exited Kurgo to a strategic buyer
"I am working with really smart people on their biggest challenges. I have always loved helping friends work through their business problems on the side, now I get to do it everyday. I wouldn't even call this work!"
Gordie Spater

Gordie

Spater

CEO

Key Areas of Expertise

Sales, marketing, e-commerce, new product development, innovation, team building, bootstrap to exit, logistics.

Most Proud Of

Starting a business in my basement with my brother, building a world class team and successfully exiting the business selling to a strategic buyer. Creating a high-performing, “work hard, but have fun” culture.

"Off the Job" Passions

Being outside, I especially love to ski, bike and hike as much as I can. Three teenagers also keep me very busy.

More About

Gordie Spater

Gordie Spater is the CEO of Katahdin Group and was formerly the co-founder and CEO of Kurgo, the leading dog travel product company in North America. Before coming to Katahdin Group, he celebrated a successful exit of the business to Radio Systems Corporation after 16 consecutive years of revenue growth.

Kurgo’s products are sold nationwide from Petco to the local pet store around the corner. The offerings include everything a dog owner and dog need to get out and enjoy the world together from car harnesses, to seat covers to lifejackets for dogs. Kurgo is an 8-time Honoree of the Inc. 5000 list of the fastest growing companies in the US.

Prior to founding Kurgo with his brother in 2003, Gordie helped start two other companies. Pharmaneer was an importer of durable medical equipment where Gordie was the VP of Sales and Marketing. At myteam.com, Gordie was part of the startup team and Director of Business Development. Gordie started his career in advertising on Madison Avenue and then applied those skills to the ski business as the Director of Marketing at Sunday River Skiway and the American Skiing Company.

Gordie lives in Topsfield, MA with his wife Brooke, three children and two dogs a Golden-Doodle Baxter and a Labradoodle Winnie. He is a Cum Laude graduate from the University of Vermont and obtained his MBA from the Harvard Business School. Gordie was elected to the Topsfield School Committee in 2010 and the Board of Directors of the American Pet Products Association in 2012; he currently serves as a Director of W.F. Young.

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