corporate

Robert A. Farnsworth
President & Chief Executive Officer, PlayCore

Bob Farnsworth is a Member of the Board of Directors of the National Recreation and Park Association and serves on its Executive Committee. He serves on the Advisory Board of the School of Business for the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, the Board of Directors of the Children’s Home/ Chambliss Shelter and the Creative Discovery Museum, and the Board for the National Recreation and Parks Foundation. He is a member of the Leadership Council for the Chattanooga Trust for Public Land.  Bob is committed to providing leadership to our employees’ play efforts and maintaining PlayCore’s commitment to the products and programs that advance the role of play in our society.

Richard E. Ruegger
Senior Vice-President & Chief Financial Officer, PlayCore

Rick Ruegger is responsible for all financial activities of the company including financial reporting, treasury, tax, legal, audit, banking and insurance. With twenty years in the play industry, Rick is committed to providing financial leadership and structure for the organization to ensure continued profitable growth within all its play and recreation opportunities.

John L. Conely, Sr.
Chief Operating Officer, PlayCore


John Conely is a senior level operations professional who grew up at General Electric. He also lived and worked in Asia while running operations groups at Alcatel, Iomega and Brown Jordan International. He is responsible for PlayCore’s day-to-day operating activities, and he is dedicated to continuous improvement through the implementation of Lean principles into all areas of the business. John and his team believe in “working hard and playing hard.”

Spencer Cheak
Senior Vice President & General Manager of Fort Payne Operations, PlayCore

Spencer Cheak is responsible for all operational issues at PlayCore's Southern Fulfillment Center in Fort Payne, Alabama, including manufacturing, purchasing, transportation, human resources and compliance. He sits on the Board of the Dekalb County United Givers Fund and Oneonta, Alabama Parks and Recreation. Spencer is committed to leading a highly skilled team to produce beyond compliant, high quality playground equipment enjoyed by children all over the world.

Mike McWilliams
Vice President of Quality, Global Sourcing and Logistics, PlayCore

Mike McWilliams has been in the recreation industry for 28 years. He is a member of the American Society for Testing and Materials, serving on Committee F08 on Sports Equipment and Facilities as well as Committee F15 on Consumer Products. He is committed to managing a team of professionals to provide and deliver the highest quality products and services to PlayCore’s internal and external customers. Mike and his team led the ISO 14001 and ISO 9001 environmental and quality management system certification processes and now continue to lead the company in our focus on sustainable business practices.

Lisa Moore
Vice President, Corporate Strategic Services, PlayCore

Lisa Moore is responsible for the company's independent research efforts on play and oversees the development and implementation of a variety of curricula and programming resources to promote the value of outdoor play. She oversees national partnerships and outreach efforts that provide continuing education to professionals around the country. She also leads strategic services including corporate strategic planning, public relations/communications, and employee relations.  She has experience working with children of all abilities in a variety of educational and medical settings. Lisa is active in her professional and local communities and is currently a candidate for an Ed.D. with a research focus on play. She believes in the power of play and is committed to enriching play for people of all ages and abilities.

Mike Hawkins
Vice President, Corporate Risk Management, Insurance & Legal Affairs, PlayCore

Mike Hawkins is responsible for all of the company’s legal and risk management endeavors. He is the designated point person for contact with all forms of press or media for all divisions of PlayCore. Mike is an active member of several community organizations and has more than 25 years experience in the play industry. He is committed to ensuring that PlayCore produces safer, industry compliant, innovative equipment and emphasizing the importance of play in our lives.

Mark Burgess 
Senior Vice President Recreation Brands Group, PlayCore

Mark Burgess is responsible for managing PlayCore's Recreation Brands Group.  Recreation Brands is made up of a suite of companies and recreation products including, Play & Park Structures, UltraPlay, GT Grandstands, UPlay Today playgrounds, and SNUG configurable play.  He has over 20 years of experience in the commercial and retail recreation industry in both the United States and abroad and has conducted business in more than 50 countries. He has also served on local, national, and international boards in the recreation industry. Mark has been with the Company since 2004. 

Chris Allen
Vice President, Information Technology, PlayCore 

Chris Allen is responsible for leading the Information Technology functions of the PlayCore business units, upgrading and standardizing IT systems throughout the company, and ensuring that the IT function is a key enabler for supporting company objectives and strategies for growth. Prior to joining PlayCore, he worked as General Manager of North American Royalties/Wheland Automotive Industries’ Ductile Iron Division and Corporate Vice President of Continuous Improvement.  Previously, Chris had a progression of roles with increasing responsibility for IT Systems planning, development and integration with Aerojet, Martin Marietta and with the United States Air Force. He is committed to ensuring that Play Core’s IT resources are aligned with the company’s operations to support PlayCore in maintaining its leadership position on play.

Consumer - Swing-N-Slide

Dave Biancofiore
Senior Vice President & General Manager, PlayCore Consumer Products

Dave Biancofiore has more than 20 years' experience leading manufacturing organizations. He is responsible for all operations and customer service at Swing-N-Slide. Key areas of focus have been the implementation of Lean manufacturing and aggressive out-sourcing of products that fit our current business model. Dave is committed to providing the leadership necessary to run a profitable division that delivers fun, creative and safe play products to our customers.

Scott Gadd
Vice President of Sales, PlayCore Consumer Products

Scott Gadd has more than 26 years of experience in the consumer products industry as an independent sales representative for over 50 manufacturers for many major national retailers and has been an active member of the Swing-N-Slide team for seven years. He is responsible for maximizing the sales growth of Swing-N-Slide's standard and key accounts across the USA, Canada, and Mexico. Among other accomplishments, Scott was the primary design leader of the patented Rapid-Loc Bracket System that has enabled Swing-N-Slide to make its swing sets easier to assemble than ever. He is committed to passionately promoting play through innovative and safer products.

Michele Chandler
Director of Marketing, PlayCore Consumer Products

Michele Chandler has more than 30 years experience in the consumer products industry and has been an active member of the Swing-N-Slide marketing team for more than 7 years. She leads the consumer group in the development of new products, market research, new channels of distribution, licensing and promotions, and she is an active participant in the development of home safety standards through her membership with the ASTM F-15-09 subcommittee. Michele also supports her community through volunteer work with the Boys Scouts of America. She is committed to developing profitable and affordable consumer products that enhance playtime for children and their families.

commercial - GameTime

Tom Norquist
Sr. Vice President of Product Development, Sales & Marketing, GameTime

As a founding board member and immediate past president of the International Play Equipment Manufacturer’s Association (IPEMA) and long-term active American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) representative, Tom Norquist has been involved in all aspects of the play industry. He actively participated in the U.S. Architectural and Transportation Barriers Compliance Board, serves on the Board for the International Playground Contractor’s Association, and served from 2002-2004 on the Advisory Board for the National Program for Playground Safety. He is also involved in the (Access Board) Recreation Access Advisory Committee and Regulatory Negotiation meetings and is currently serving on the advisory panel for the Access Board’s on-line Technical Assistance and Training for Play Area Accessibility. He is a skilled marketer, product innovator and children’s advocate for safe, creative and fun play. Tom is known for his boundless energy and his heartfelt love for an understanding of children at play.  

Bob Barron
Sr. Vice President of Sales, GameTime


Bob Barron is responsible for managing all of GameTime’s field sales activities including sales force management, customer service, training, and support of Customer Relationship Management (CRM) implementation. He has more than 15 years’ experience in the play industry, is a Little League Coach and an active member of several community organizations.

Anne-Marie Spencer
Director of Marketing, GameTime

Anne-Marie Spencer leads and directs the GameTime marketing team in communications and product management, serves as a company spokesperson, and handles market launch, advertising, company promotion, catalog creation, trade show design and sales promotions. Anne-Marie is a member of the Board of Directors of NCPPA, the National Coalition to Promote Physical Activity, a broad coalition of experts to support the Nation's first Physical Activity Plan, a sweeping initiative to improve public health. Anne-Marie is committed to ensuring that PlayCore/GameTime is the brand kids use most by motivating the marketing team with creativity, encouragement and empowerment ...and by never forgetting to play.

Commercial - Recreation Brands Group

Lindsay Richardson
Director of Marketing and Sales Administration, New Business Development

Lindsay Richardson is responsible for creating and executing national marketing programs, new product category launches, expternal communications, product development, branding, and product pricing. She has more than 9 years of experience in the play industry and is an active community member. Lindsay is a graduate of Leadership Chattanooga, served on the board of the Junior League of Chattanooga, and is actively involved with the Hunter Museum of American Art. She is committed to communicating the positive message of play through marketing, by creating profitable and innovative products to enhance children's creativity and fitness and by leading employees to provide tools to sales agencies who complete playground projects nationwide.

Mike Moll
Corporate Vice President & General Manager, UltraPlay Systems, Inc.

Mike Moll has more than 20 years’ manufacturing experience including product development, plant supervision, material procurement and operations management. For the past 9 years he has served as the Vice President of Operations at UltraPlay where he was responsible for all daily activities and successful implementation of Lean Manufacturing techniques and principles. Mike is committed to providing leadership to a highly motivated and talented group while maintaining an environment dedicated to customer satisfaction. Mike also manages operations at GT Grandstands, a division of UltraPlay Systems that designs and manufactures a variety of spectator seating products.

Commercial – Robertson Industries

Richard Hawley
Corporate Vice President & General Manager, Robertson Industries

Richard Hawley joined Robertson Industries in 1991 and has worked in all positions within the company from Field Tech to Sales Manager to CEO. He has a background in recreation and public administration and serves on the board of the International Playground Equipment Manufacturers Association (IPEMA).  

Tom Whittier
Vice President of Operations, Robertson Industries 

As Vice-President of Operations for Robertson Industries, Tom Whittier oversees the delivery model of products, the operation of the physical plant, and product installation. He is responsible for operational activities in each of Robertson’s six distribution centers including staff training, efficiencies, and material usage. Prior to joining Robertson Industries, Tom worked as part owner and director of operations and marketing for a major college bookstore with distribution nation wide. He has a background in sports and recreation as both an athlete and coach.

Commercial – youth fitness group

Tim Sudeith
Corporate Vice President & General Manager, Youth Fitness Group

Tim Sudeith is responsible for overseeing daily operations, initiating new product development and guiding business expansion for PlayCore’s Youth Fitness Group which includes Everlast Climbing Industries. His entrepreneurial spirit and background in fine art and business highlight a creative and forward-thinking leadership style. As Founder of Everlast Climbing Industries, Tim and his team have been advocates for youth fitness for more than a decade, designing products that playfully engage, challenge and ultimately improve children’s fitness levels. Tim enjoys being part of a dynamic and innovative team and strives to continuously improve all aspects of the company.