Jonathan
Jonathan first began his career with tactical soft goods at age 8 when his father took him to a leather working workshop and upon completion was given a bag of leather scraps which he began making sheathes and holsters for him self and friends. This grew in high school to using his mothers sewing machine to make paintball pod pouches, pads and other paintball accessories. Also while in high school Jon gained experience in civil engineering while building a 45 foot bridge for his Eagle Scout project. He also learned about mechanical engineering and manufacturing during a work study program at a machine shop that made DoD products.
After graduation he joined the USMC and earned the MOSs 0311 Rifleman, 0321 Recon Marine, 0323 Para and 0317 Scout Sniper with heavy training in combat medicine and Joint Fire Observation. During preparation for Scout Sniper School Jon brought his personal sewing machine to the barracks to make his ghillie suit and after enduring a week of the expected jeering, he and his sewing machine became respected for their in-barracks repairs, gear modifications, and innovation. Jon did 2 tours to Iraq with 1st Recon Bn, B Co spent several months as a point-man in 1st Force Co. and spent his last few months of active duty as an instructor at Division Schools Pre-Scout Sniper Course where he met the founders of Ares Armor. After getting out Jon did some piece work sewing for Ares Armor before joining the Marine Reserves 1/23 Scout Sniper Plt. and doing One last deployment to Afghanistan in 2011.
Upon return to the US Jon was hired full time by Ares Armor to sew custom orders for the Marines, LEOs, and competitive shooters in and near Camp Pendleton. He quickly grew from custom sewer, to Chief of Textile Manufacturing, and after the Sandyhook market crisis he moved to the position of President of Ares Armor assisting Dimitri, then CEO, in keeping the company out of bankruptcy while satisfying an enormous back order. Once stability was achieved he requested to step down to VP of Manufacturing Science and Technologies Development so that he could focus on new product development and overseeing manufacturing which had grown from textiles to including, metal goods, thermo-form plastics, and injection molding.
After several months under the new ownership Jonathan left the company due to a disagreement of the treatment of customers, vendors, and employees by the new owner. He then moved back to his home town of Cornville, AZ with no plan to get back in to the tactical industry. But after getting reacquainted with Nick, a childhood friend, and many old customers especially from the Reconnaissance community urging him, Jonathan started up Arbor Arms.
