News and Updates

Wenonah Canoe and Current Designs Promotes Jim Brown to Presidency
-April 9, 2008

Wenonah Canoe and Current Designs announces employee Jim Brown’s promotion to President. Amongst other things, Brown will over see manufacturing, purchasing, logistics, inventory control, scheduling, and sourcing.

Former President, Rich Enochs retired on March 28 to mark an end to his five years of service. Enochs is very confident in Brown taking over his position, “He will be a great president. He really cares about the company and the quality services and products it provides. I wish him the best.”

Originally from Milwaukee, WI, Brown moved to Winona, Minn in 1981. Before coming to Wenonah Canoe, Brown held the position of Senior Vice President and General Manager of Winona Knitting Mills. He has been the head of the Wenonah Canoe logistics and planning team for the past three years.

"Jim has really been a key part of our company's success over the past years. I am thrilled to promote him to this position," said company owner Mike Cichanowski.

A devote paddler, Brown and his wife Sue spend most of their free time paddling on the Mississippi River. "This is an outstanding opportunity. Wenonah Canoe and Current Designs Kayaks are two of the premier brands in the paddle sports industry with a rich tradition and a global following. I look forward to representing such a company,” Brown explained.

Wenonah Canoe & Current Designs Finalize Certified Composite Technician Training
-January, 22, 2008

During the week of January 14, 2008, Wenonah Canoe and Current Designs held the final training session for certification of 12 more employees in the CMA (Composite Manufacturers Association) certified composite technician training course. This class has increased the total number of employees that are classified as certified composite technicians to over 50. The majority of these trainees have come directly from the production floors of Wenonah Canoe and Current Designs. Additionally, Customer Service personnel as well as some of the management staff have also succesfully completed the training.

In order to become certified, an employee must go through 24 hours of classroom instruction and they must pass a thorough qualifying written examination. Only those employees who score higher than 80% on the final testing will achieve the CCT certification.

Mike Cichanowski, owner of Wenonah Canoe and Current Designs said, “Having this many certified technicians as a part of our manufacturing, production and management team will allow us to provide ever increasing levels of quality in both the boats we build and the services we provide to our dealers and customers. Our employees are rightly proud of these accomplishments and we are happy to have been able to work with Minnesota State College Southeast Tech. to provide this training. Everyone benefits, our workers and our customers both.”

Wenonah Launches C4 Waterman Stand-up Paddle Program
- December 15, 2007

Wenonah Canoe and Current Designs are excited to announce their partnership with C4 Waterman. The stand up paddle craze has overtaken the mainland in the past year not only on the coasts but across inland waters as well. Paddle sport enthusiast around the world are beginning to embrace the unique experience of stand up paddling.

Wenonah and Current Designs are pleased to be the exclusive distributor of stand-up paddles, boards and accessories through out the US. Visit your nearest Wenonah dealer to inquire about available product and stand up paddle demos. Or contact info@wenonah.com for more info.

Don't miss out on the hottest up and coming craze in the paddle sports industry.

To learn more about C4 Waterman and stand up paddling visit: www.c4waterman.com

Wee Lassie Gets a Face Lift
- October 10, 2007

Wenonah's new Wee Lassie has recieved some modifications since its introduction at the Outdoor Retailer show in August. A a highly comfortable and durable back rest have been added to the adjustable seat pan. Coupled with an anodized aluminum foot brace, the Wee Lassie is more paddler friendly than ever. This 24 pound ultra-light pack boat is tons of fun and just begs to be paddled.

Flash Floods Engulf S.E. MN
- August 20, 2007

Southeastern Minnesota experienced severe rainfall and flooding over the weekend. Our home town of Winona was one of the areas receiving about a foot of rain fall in less than 24 hrs. The picturesque bluffs and valleys surrounding Winona funneled the intense rain fall into the city and surrounding communities. Many of our employees, their families and friends are recovering from severe flood damage and face tremendous clean-up and restoration projects.

President Bush has officially declared three Minnesota counties, including Winona County, disaster areas. Fortunately, the Wenonah Canoe and Current Designs factories were largely spared from damage. We experienced some water in our offices and warehouses but nothing catastrophic.

Wenonah Canoe and Current Designs Announce New Models for 2008
-August 15, 2007

Three new canoes and eight new kayak models will be available for the upcoming paddle season. Formally introduced to dealers at the 2007 Outdoor Retailer show in Salt Lake City Aug. 8-12, the new models created quite a stir.

The three additions from Wenonah Canoe include the Seneca, a boat designed for 3 paddlers, the Wilderness, a solo tripping canoe, and the Wee Lassie, a small, fun paddling recreational design.

Our Current Design fleet has once again raised the bar with eight new kayak designs. Destined to become one of our most popular models, the Vision Family of transitional kayaks deliver solid performance at a budget conscious price. The Vision Family consists of three solo kayaks, the Vision 130, Vision 140, Vision 150, and a tandem kayak rightfully named the Double Vision.

The other new boats from Current Design include the Kestrel 160, an addition to our already popular Kestrel line, the Kitsilano, a versatile day tripping kayak, the Cypress, a British design for larger paddlers, and the Freedom, our first true ultra-light fitness kayak.