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Founder's Bios
Jon Allen was born in Washington though he did most of his growing up in Utah and Colorado, the latter of which helped him find his outdoor calling by exploring the Rocky Mountains backpacking, skiing, fishing and camping with his family. Fresh out of Western State College, the path was clear for Jon - he wanted a job in the outdoor industry so he went to work for Gart Bros. Sporting Goods in Denver. At that time, it was the largest sporting goods store in the country - a seven story sportsman’s mecca with gear for hunting, fishing, skiing, team sports, you name it.
Jon got his start in the optics business with Redfield, also in Denver. There, his budding interest blossomed into a great knowledge of the design, engineering and manufacturing processes as well as the hunting and firearms business. Jon rose quickly through the ranks and would eventually go on to become the national sales manager and customer service manager with Redfield.
Jon joined Nikon after leaving Redfield where he took on the challenge of helping the company grow and expand into the riflescope and hunting market. He started as their national sales manager, but was later promoted to General Manager. With a top-notch team around him, they were able to push the limits of product design, sales and marketing strategies by making sure the consumer got the best optic for the money. The Sport Optics Division at Nikon grew exponentially and set new standards in quality and value.
The constant changes and barriers of the corporate world nudged Jon Allen to join forces with Jon LaCorte to take their visions of improvements beyond the boundaries. That said, they set out to create a consumer optics company that is built 100% on the needs of the outdoor enthusiast. The 25 plus years of selling, marketing and designing optics has paved the way for an all new consumer experience.
Jon’s wife, a beautiful Colorado girl, his two children and his love of the Lord has given life to the vision that is now TRACT Optics. From every experience the customer will encounter down to the most minute product detail, he’s driven to surpass all the standards in the optics world by giving you - the hunter, the outdoorsman - the very best in quality, value and overall product support.
"Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind."
Jon Allen
Co-Founder
Jon LaCorte
Co-Founder
Jon LaCorte grew up in Queens, New York, an area not know for having large numbers of hunters. So you might say it takes some folks by surprise when they find out Jon’s been doing it his entire life. Luckily, taking to the outdoors in pursuit of wildgame is a long-standing tradition in the LaCorte family and it’s no surprise that after spending a few years following his father, grandfather and uncle through the woods as a boy, Jon found one of his true loves and never looked back.
Now, many hunts and many miles traveled, Jon has never forgotten his roots or what guides his life - the love and support of his wife and children, an unwavering faith in God and a passion for the outdoors - all of which have served to make TRACT Optics a reality. Having spent more than 15 years working in product development and marketing for the hunting optics division of Nikon, he learned a great deal about every aspect of the outdoor industry, from sales and logistics to press relations and customer service. Jon worked to develop patented reticle systems as well as expand the product offerings from just a few SKU’s to a plethora of options in riflescopes, binoculars, rangefinders and spotting scopes.
While it was a great experience helping build Nikon into a major player in the optics category, Jon had the opportunity to go to work for Flint Holdings, a family owned group that controls Montana Decoy and WASP Archery Products. Being a die-hard bowhunter, he jumped at the chance to work more closely within the archery product category and take on the challenge of helping grow these companies from a product and marketing standpoint.
It became apparent to Jon that the consumer market has evolved in a new way. Instant gratification, meaning people with less time are looking for easier methods of purchasing products. As many large corporations are more concerned with satisfying investors and increasing their top and bottom lines, the focus on what is really important, the customer, has diminished. This spurred the idea to start an optics company with a vision of providing you, the customer, not only a great product and a great value, but a truly awesome experience.