By David Figura / Contributed Story

John Wilson has melded his passion with his profession. Wilson, 51, a skilled fly fisherman and guide, has joined Cortland Line as its new president. He gets the sport and is well aware of the company’s international and storied reputation.

Cortland Line’s new president, John Wilson, checks out one of the company’s line braiding machines at the Cortland Factory / Submitted photo

In recent years, he has also headed up operations and guided change at construction, sustainable energy and consulting companies. He’s now applying his talents to his first love – fishing. He promises renewed “renewed focus and energized innovation ” for Cortland as the local company celebrates its 100th anniversary this year.

“The fly fishing industry has changed dramatically in recent years,” Wilson said, “but ultimately we have to focus on the basics — providing customers with products they want at competitive prices, and providing retailers with reliable delivery of lines they can sell easily and profitably. That’s where my focus will be as Cortland moves into its second century as America’s most recognizable fly line brand.”

Wilson is an Arkansas native. His first encounter with a Cortland-made fly line was as a teenager fishing on the White River.

Wilson earned international recognition when he was named coach of the U.S. youth fly fishing team in 1996. In his first year, he led the team to a silver medal at the World Fly Fishing Championships in Wales.

He later distinguished himself be winning a U.S. national fly casting competition at the ESPN Great Outdoor Games.

The company was founded by Ray Smith in 1915. Smith was an expert in braiding technologies and designed and made a number of braided silk lines that propelled his company into a leader in the fishing line business.

Cortland Line, which has gone through all sorts of changes in recent years, including closing the company outlet store this year and spreading that business throughout the state, currently has two dozen employees.

Company officials recently voiced their intent to keep the company, a leading manufacturer of fly lines and braided fishing lines, in Cortland. Hiring Wilson reinforces that intent, they said.

“When I first began fly fishing, the Cortland name was synonymous with fly fishing,” Wilson said. “Cortland is still uniquely situated to be the first brand that new fly anglers revere and embrace. It’s my mission as Cortland’s president to make sure that future generations continue to recognize our company as a leader in quality, innovation and value.”