About Us
OUR STORY
Mission: Enhance community life by providing superior recreational products.
Vision: Connecting communities through recreation.
RecWest Outdoor Products, Inc. was founded in Santa Monica, CA in 1992 by Michael Bennett. Over the past several decades our focus has always been on connecting communities through recreation. From preliminary design through the life of the product, we assist our clients in every step of the process to ensure their dreams are fulfilled. RecWest provides turn-key services which include: professional on-site consultation, design, project management, logistics and installation, as well as superb life-long customer care.
OUR TEAM
Michael J. Bennett
President
Mike is the owner of RecWest and has been active in sales and management since 1993 when he founded the company. He works with select public entities in Los Angeles county.
Since Mike started RecWest he has had the privilege of completing close to 2,000 playground projects with his hard working sales associates and in-house staff. With input from clients, design support from RecWest’s world class equipment fabricators and collaboration with select local “certified” construction companies Mike has personally designed, developed and project managed hundreds of “ground up” public playground projects.
Mike was a proud member of the heavyweight varsity rowing team at Cal in the mid 70’s. He coached UCLA’s crew for five years and was a broker at Coldwell Banker Commercial for ten years prior to founding RecWest. He collects, restores and rides vintage road bicycles, jogs (slowly), plays golf (poorly) and is an avid “catch and release” fly fisherman.
Mike is married to his lovely wife Sharon. They live in Thousand Oaks. Ca.
Griselda Vargas
Office Manager
Griselda’s duties include customer service, assisting accounting and support all outside sales reps. She has been with RecWest for 14 years, coming from 15 years in Retail. She is excellent in assisting customers with almost all their requests, from parts to designing a full structure.
When not at work, she enjoys crocheting and spending time with her grandkids.
Scott Anderson
Recreation Consultant CPSI
Scott’s duties include developing and building new relationships throughout RecWest’s geography in its Education market. Providing guidance to Parent groups and School Administration to plan, design, and build new playgrounds for their students.
When he is not at work Scott enjoys spending time with his wife and daughter outside in nature. He also has been competing in endurance events for a number of years. Scott has passion for what he does and enjoys being able to help build communities through exciting innovative playgrounds.
Nate Stutz
Recreation Consultant
Nate provides turnkey park and playground solutions for municipalities, landscape architects, developers and non-profit organizations across all of East Los Angeles County, Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo and Kern Counties. He relishes the challenge of designing and building the best parks and playgrounds for his clients, regardless of their budgets.
Prior to joining RecWest, Nate was an owner, director and curriculum developer for outdoor leadership, recreation and camp programs. He is currently completing his Masters in Business Administration at Loyola Marymount University and is also a graduate from National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS).
Outside of helping his clients design and create dream playgrounds and parks, Nate is an avid rock climber and outdoor adventurer. He views the mountains and wilderness as his own personal playground.
Eric Lewis
Sales Consultant
The newest member of the RecWest team, Eric utilizes his experience with the City of Los Angeles as a past president of both the Winnetka Neighborhood Council and the Woodside South Home Owner’s Association. He is driven to build upon over a decade of volunteer service as an elected community leader dedicated to neighborhood stewardship, awareness of city and stakeholder needs, and managing responsible growth for local communities. Eric will work with RecWest collaborators to bring life to visions of beautiful parks, accessible playgrounds, and comfortable public spaces.
Preceding his inclusion on the RecWest team, Eric spent over two decades at a sound recording studio and production facility in Studio City working with animation pioneers and industry leaders. His innovation and expertise at recording and editing dialogue for animation led to a Daytime Emmy® award and seven total nominations, plus a Cinema Audio Society award and four total nominations.
When not at work, Eric spends his time with his wife and three young children. Together they enjoy the kids’ extracurricular activities plus hiking, biking, traveling, and visiting the Southern California beaches and mountains. Eric also enjoys drumming, attending live music, boating, and snow skiing.
OUR PARTNERS
CLIENTS & RECOGNITION
TESTIMONIALS
-Bill Kearns, City of Norwalk, Director of Recreation and Park Services