
People & Culture
"I am so grateful that I have had the chance to spend the last 20 years in the outdoor industry. There are so many wonderful people. I couldn’t resist putting photos of some of them on our website. It has been an honor and a blessing for me to know them, work with them and share many things in life together. They have given me motivation to work hard, work with joy."
5 Heroes of DAC

"It is my honor and privilege to introduce the heroes who saved DAC when times were hard
- SN Kim, YH Kim, TH Kim, CJ Lee and DO Park.
Nobody abandoned the sinking ship that was DAC, even though they had many opportunities to leave.
I feel so grateful to have spent the last 20 years with them."
~ Jake Lah
Our Team

SN Kim
Life time friend of Jake Lah since 1984. He deserves all the credit for DAC's consistent quality and on-time delivery. He saved DAC from falling apart.
Every detail of every process is under his guidance.

YH Kim
He first met Jake Lah in elementary school. He got a master's degree in material science at Yonsei University, the same University Jake graduated from. He has been a driving force at DAC for every development related to high strength aluminum - from new alloys to trekking poles.

TH Kim
People call him "DAC itself."
Since 1988, he has been there whenever and wherever DAC needs anything.
It was SN Kim who introduced him to DAC.

CJ Lee
He comes to work at least 50 days more every year than other people. Since 1989, he has dedicated himself to the health of DAC. He is a good friend of TH Kim. Together, they have gone through so many things.

DO Park
When he first started working in 1988, he did not know anything about aluminum. He is now one of the most knowledgeable people in the world on high strength aluminum processing from extrusion to final heat treatment.

JH Wang
Jake was lucky to meet him in 1987. 20 years ago, he was a brilliant young engineer who influenced Jake to start a new R&D center in DAC. It is not a surprise that he developed almost every toy and new trekking pole lock system produced by in DAC.

JB Oh
A good friend of JH Wang. He joined DAC as a set up member in 1988 introduced by JH Wang. Without his endurance, Green Anodizing of DAC couldn't have been possible.

KP Cho (since 1992)
Tent pole assembly

CH Lee (since 1992)
Tent frame development

JS Lee (since 1992)
Administration
Industry People
![]() Ted GanioA good friend of Jake | ![]() The North FaceReese White and his daughter in 2002 |
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![]() Sierra DesignsPhil Mesdag at Jake's home | ![]() KeltyAndrew Day, a wonderful gentleman |
![]() BanpoBanpo team at Jake's home | ![]() Yuichiro SatoA humble gentleman who knows every detail |
![]() Mike SchererFreelancer designer with the most experience and knowledge | ![]() MSRPaul and Adrienne |
![]() Bill Gamber of Big Agnes | ![]() Jack WolfskinGerold Ringsdorf |
![]() EMSAnthony Roina | ![]() Al and Lili Hausske |
![]() JasperMan Yee, passionate and experienced hard worker | ![]() Tai Chung CanvasGrant Tsai started backpacking tent manufactured in Asia |
![]() Andrew DawsonA long time designer of Terra Nova | ![]() Lifetime members of the industryMike Scherer, Frank Tehan, David Mydans and Jake Blakely |
![]() Jack WolfskinGerold Ringsdorf | ![]() David MydansThe designer of REI for more than 20 years |
![]() Ted GanioA good friend of Jake | ![]() Reese WhiteWe all need to appreciate his unseen devotion |
![]() BanpoYH Kim, DO Park, Jake Lah, TS Choi in Qingdao | ![]() BanpoDAC team 2008 |
![]() Yuichiro SatoDesigner of Dunlop | ![]() Tae KimBrings new blood to the industry 10-05-04 |
![]() Mike SchererTent designer with the most experience and knowledge | ![]() Bob SwansonThe founder of Sierra Designs |
![]() VaudeAl Dewitz and his team in Qingdao | ![]() OgawaMr. Tamaura, the man of Japanese camping industry |
![]() Johnson TeamBill Kelly, Joel Weeks | ![]() HillebergHilleberg family with Jake's family |
![]() Hilleberg familyRolf, Petra and Bo Hilleberg with Jake | ![]() ExpedAndy and Jake |
![]() CamelbakSally McCoy and Jake in Friedrichshafen, Germany | ![]() Big AgnesChris, Al, Bill at DAC 2006 |
![]() Eureka! EuropeGeor and his wife |