Blake Hess is one of just a few dozen veterans in the surf park space. He worked at the now-defunct NLand Surf before going on to successfully ensure that the Surf Ranch maintained its 5-star experience in Lemoore. Unlike prior positions where he managed operations after the wave pool’s launch, here in Virginia Beach Hess contributed to early-stage design work and operational modeling.
Blake’s forte is people, finding the best, and hiring them. We met several managerial staff members who had worked with him in the past, some of whom were willing to pack up and move cross-country. This newly assembled super team now oversees surf instruction, guest services, equipment rental, digital infrastructure, and more.
Blake is such a wellspring of information on all things surf parks that it was difficult to stop with the questions. That said, this hour-long talk answers such potential wave pool hazards as, well, I mean, what do you do when your wave machine sits idle on a boat for weeks due to a local port strike? Does it affect your approach to your future projects?
Listen now to discover how Hess and team met those challenges, as few in the surf park industry space can.
