Longtime Southern Hobby Distribution President Chris Austin is retiring this week, the company announced. Austin became President on the retirement of his father, Jim Austin, which occurred in the early 2010s; prior to that he was Vice President, and has been with company since its founding in 1991.
Southern Hobby Distribution CEO Kevin Isaacson, who joined the company in that role as it was acquired by Entrust Global Group in 2021 (see “Southern Hobby Acquired“), shared his thoughts on the occasion. “Chris is that rare leader who is both respected and truly loved, across our Company and the hobby industry,” he said. “He and the Austin family set a standard for service, to hobby retailers and to the brands we’re thrilled to distribute, that is unmatched. And they did it with a commitment to core family values that will always be embedded in Southern Hobby’s DNA.”
In addition to Isaacson, Southern Hobby’s management team consists of Thomas Harlan, VP/purchasing; Scott May, VP/operations; Brian Pugh, director of sales; and Cindy Brannam, VP/sales & marketing.
We interviewed Austin to learn more about the transition, and his thoughts on the business (see “ICv2 Interview: Chris Austin“).
Source: ICv2
