Intro to Mat Hager: Campworks COO and teardrop trailer convert
Mat’s favorite campsite up in the Pacific Northwest
You've seen Mat posting some blogs here and updates on LinkedIn this spring but we thought a proper introduction would be good, so you have a sense of who is working behind the scenes to deliver your trailer and what types of content you can expect to see from Mat in the future.
In addition to his role as COO at Campworks he holds the honorary title of Campworks Camp Chef.
Mat joined as our COO in February. He began his career in manufacturing engineering, focusing on jet engines, before joining the Navy as a nuclear engineer on submarines. During his eight years in the Navy, Mat held various roles in engineering and operations. He has spent a total of one year and 93 days underwater and aspires to spend an equivalent amount of time camping under the stars. Currently, he camps for about 30-35 nights each year, meaning he will achieve his goal in another 11 years.
Mat's association with Campworks began as a customer. He'd originally started car camping around the Seattle area, while stationed at Naval Base Kitsap-Bangor. He quickly got tired of the competition and long range planning needed to secure campground spots around the Pacific NW so began learning more about dispersed camping. He's been on a journey ever since to perfect his camp set-up, starting with a rooftop tent on a Subaru Forester, building out a Toyota Tacoma with a hardside rooftop tent, and finally, deciding that a teardrop adventure trailer was the next step (more on that decision making later). His wife jokes that even if you didn't know he lived on a submarine, his setup might give it away: he has a place for everything, and is always finding creative solutions (like magnets) to keep things securely stowed.
In his first couple months as COO, he has played a crucial role in transitioning most of our manufacturing to CF Maier and restarting production. He's also focused on financial planning and maximizing operational efficiency, drawing from his lessons learned with AI-integration into tools and business processes while leading a team at Qualtrics (experience management tech startup) the last few years.
Here's a few more quick facts about Mat and some of the topics you might hear about from him:
Favorite moment at Campworks so far: Delivering trailer to a fellow veteran.
Favorite camp spot: For those familiar with the PNW, MT Rainier is a key focal point, and having spent a lot of time in the area growing up, the mountain holds a special place in Mat's heart. Mat's favorite spot is on the north side with an amazing view of the mountain and valley below. DM him for coordinates.
Favorite camp food: Fire grilled buffalo wings
Favorite camp activities: mountain biking, cross country skiing, cooking, sipping tequila in a hammock
Most memorable camping cautionary tale: almost getting stuck in the mud near Sedona, AZ without a winch (installed one after that trip!). The mud in the Sedona area is much stickier than what he was used to in the PNW.
Bucket list camping adventure: An Alaska overlanding trip
Topics we'd like to get Mat's thoughts on in future: camp cooking recipes and gear, advice for camping in the Pacific NW, favorite activity+camping areas (xc skiing, biking), tips to explore new states/areas, favorite gear (Mat is notorious among friends for introducing them to amazing gear they didn't know they needed.)
Mat has just started exploring the Colorado area so is eager for camping recomendations. You can send him tips and follow his adventures at @adventurewithmat on Instagram.
