Some owners are content to sit in the background and let others run the business. Not Matt Hagans.
“I have had a flat management style over the time I’ve owned Eagle Creek,” he said. That’s another way of saying his hands are in everything, from hiring to the shop, charter, sales, and customer support. Or rather, were. Now he’s trying to, as he says, “actively de-Matt the company.”
The first step in handing off the business to the next generation is ensuring you have the right team in place, and it seems as though Hagans has finally found that perfect mix. Scott Dillon runs the day-to-day operation as president, Rick Branch is executive vice president, Jim Worrell handles sales, Randy Morelock is the vice president of maintenance and handles the entire service network, and Matt’s daughter Mandy is vice president and secretary and covers the administration. “I have a hell of a team,” he said.
But not so fast. De-Matting the company doesn’t mean stepping away. Hagans spent last winter on a sailboat and still emailed until noon every day. It’s clear he’s not ready to fully move on yet. “I like the game and I plan to stay in it.”
Effectively it means Hagans will be integral to Eagle Creek’s strategic direction, major investment decisions, and so on, while the team runs the company and takes responsibility for the regular operations.
After so many years at the helm, Hagans still gets a charge out of being involved in aviation and with Twin Commanders. The company has diversified to supporting other manufacturers, but Commanders remain an integral part of the business. “We remain bullish on Commanders, and we remain here to support the product,” he said.
