ST. PAUL - From store manager to company president in six years. Though it seems unlikely, Gander Mountain president Derek Siddons did just that.

The St. Paul-based chain has 162 stores in 27 states, including 12 locations and 1,150 associates in Minnesota. It sells outdoor sporting goods, firearms and fishing gear. After starting as a store manager in 2009, Siddons, 40, climbed through the ranks - working as the company’s director of retail operations, vice president of electronic commerce, senior vice president of operations and electronic commerce, executive vice president and chief operating officer.

It was not formal education that prepared him for those varied roles. Though Siddons attended Lincoln Land Community College in Springfield, Ill., he did not complete the program. He instead attributes part of his success to a hands-on approach.

“A majority of my learning and development has come on the job,” Siddons said in a recent interview.

Before starting at Gander Mountain and holding those various titles, Siddons worked 14 years in operations for electronics chain Circuit City. He then decided to transition by becoming a store manager.

“I took a step back when I came here on purpose,” Siddons said. “It’s hard to run a multiunit business without knowing how it works.” Siddons explained the step back allowed him to receive training and to better acquaint himself with how Gander Mountain operates.

Keys to success

Mirroring his rapid succession, Siddons said he and the company make a conscious effort to bring in potential talent and give them leadership opportunities. “People drive the business,” Siddons said. “I’ve been able to hire great talent. One of the things I enjoy most is bringing people in and allowing them to grow.”

After assuming the presidency in October 2015, Siddons hired one of his mentors from his Circuit City days. Robert Walker, Gander Mountain’s senior vice president for retail sales and operations since 2016, supervised Siddons at Circuit City. “I looked up to Bob when I worked at Circuit City,” Siddons said. “He’s been a great acquisition.”

David Pratt, Gander Mountain’s owner since the company went private in 2010, has been Siddons’ mentor for the past five years. Siddons attributes a large part of his success to Pratt. “I spent a lot of time on the road with (Pratt) for a few years,” Siddons said. “He’s in stores every single day. He’s our eyes and ears.”

Get outside

Before Gander Mountain, Siddons said he did not hunt or fish that much. “Now I’m a lot more into it,” Siddons said. “I love doing it.” Siddons and his executive team partake in activities like pheasant hunts and riverfront cleanings. “It’s not just talent, but what we do outside of our walls,” he said.

As for customers, Gander Mountain strives to have locally relevant gear available to them, Siddons said. “We have professionals that help bring the right gear to the right regions,” he said. “How you hunt and fish in Texas varies from Minnesota.”

Gander Mountain’s two pillars of business are firearms and fishing, and the company has partnered with the National Rifle Association and the National Shooting Sports Foundation.

“With rights come responsibilities,” Siddons said, echoing a company mantra. “You need to secure your firearms and have the proper training.” Siddons said Gander Mountain has trained more than 250,000 people in its six company-owned firearms academies, including a location in Lakeville, Minn. The courses include safety fundamentals, concealed-carry, self-defense and options for law enforcement officers. “We stand for firearms, but we do it with safety and security.”

‘We’re not retail entertainment’

Last month, two of Gander Mountain’s rivals, Bass Pro Shops and Cabela’s, announced they will be merging. Though the chains offer similar gear, Bass Pro Shops and Cabela’s stores are known as destination-shopping experiences, with fans often making special trips to go there. Cabela’s, based in Omaha, Neb., made its name as a mail-order house and has three locations in Minnesota.

“We don’t comment on anything pending,”

Siddons said of the $4.5 billion Bass Pro-Cabela’s deal, which would create a national chain with more than 180 locations. “It won’t change a lot of what we do.”

Yet he does see a distinction between Gander Mountain and its rivals: “We’re not retail entertainment. We get the gear you need to get outdoors quicker.”

Privately held Gander Mountain does not release financial records, but it is creating more stores, including a new location in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. “My goal is to continue to grow the company,” Siddons said, “core and culture.”

The Pioneer Press is a Forum News Service media partner.