Shae Hong

Shae Hong is the founder and CEO of Made by Gather. For the past 17 years, Shae Hong has served as president and CEO of Made by GatherTM, a company that he founded in 2003. He earned a bachelor’s degree in business from the University of Washington and immediately set out to demonstrate his talent for developing innovative products and launching business enterprises. Hong founded ePods, Inc. in 1998, shortly after graduating, and served as its CEO for three years. The innovative technology firm developed a new class of internet-connected wireless devices, and entered into a partnership with Google, another fledgling technology company, to serve as the official internet search engine for ePods. Even though the product was an early incarnation of today's popular touch-screen tablets, the company did not survive the "dot com crisis" of 2000. Since Made by Gather’s founding, he has spearheaded its growth into the multi-million-dollar business that it is today. Sensio produces several lines of small household appliances and cookware under a variety of names. Hong has combined a focus on consumer products with a marketing program that relies on national retailers, primarily big box stores, for merchandising. The company target is on accessible-premium, modern design. In addition to BELLA Housewares, Crux, and BRIM Coffee, other well-known brands include Jawz and Sparia. Recently, the company introduced a new brand - Chef-Built - made for the commercial kitchen. The company's growth has resulted from productive partnerships, built on a foundation of honesty and integrity. Hong maintains that business longevity is predicated on core values. He is the dynamic force that has established that philosophy across all levels of the corporation that he founded. He brings expertise in product marketing and analysis to the table, but he values the enthusiasm and determination of his team. He also values hindsight and the fact that he learned important lessons from failure, noting they are part of the key to his current success. Throughout his business career, Hong has focused on people as well as products, insisting that relationships are as vital as integrity to success and longevity. His marketing strategies and brand management capabilities are endorsed and emulated by his colleagues. Hong is known as a leading merchandising authority in the field of consumer products, highly respected for his knowledge and experience in business development.