Executive Bios
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David (Dave) Fortson
Co-Founder & CEO (aka “Big Dog”)
Dave Fortson is the co-founder and CEO of Rough & Tumble LLC, a privately-owned company based in Santa Barbara, Calif., that develops products that bring people and animals closer together. At Rough & Tumble, Dave is responsible for the company's strategic direction and oversees all aspects of this growing company.
Rough & Tumble will launch the Brush Buddy, a new pet product for dogs who love to be loved while getting cleaned, dried, brushed and massaged by their owners, in February 2008.
An environmental and social activist involved in local politics, Dave graduated from UC Santa Barbara with degrees in environmental science and ecology in 1998.
After college, he worked for two years as program coordinator at the Santa Barbara Citizens Planning Association & Foundation, an organization that aims to integrate environmental, social, economic and politically-progressive issues.
He then spent two years as field representative for California Assemblymember Hannah-Beth Jackson, advising her in the areas of education, healthcare and UCSB.
Next, he joined the Santa Barbara County Action Network, a county-wide grassroots non-profit organization dedicated to promoting social justice and preserving the community's environmental and agricultural resources, as executive director.
Since 2005, Dave has been a leading direct salesman at Sonos, Inc., the leading developer of wireless multi-room music systems for the digital home.
Married to wife Terra Basche and with two young daughters, Dave loves outdoor activities that include surfing, basketball, bike riding and hiking (with buddy Roman) and singing in his acoustic funk jam band, The Messengers. Dave and his family live on a ranch in Goleta, Calif.
John Stump
Co-Founder and CTO (aka ”Brainy Dawg”)
John Stump is the co-founder and Chief Technology Officer at Rough & Tumble, a privately-owned company based in Santa Barbara, Calif., that develops products that bring people and animals closer together. In his role as CTO, John manages all product engineering and manufacturing duties.
Rough & Tumble will launch the Brush Buddy, a new pet product for dogs who love to be loved while getting cleaned, dried, brushed and massaged by their owners, in February 2008.
John is a mechanical design engineer and avid inventor with over 10 years of design and product development experience.
He has worked as an engineer, designer, inventor, product manager, manufacturing engineer, machinist and independent consultant for startups and various small businesses.
John also has launched several new products, including medical devices, consumer electronic accessories and sporting equipment. In addition, he has helped clients develop new products in a diverse number of industries, including pet products, photography equipment and surgical equipment.
He has authored several patent applications and is listed as co-inventor of two published U.S. utility patents.
John earned a B.S. in mechanical engineering from UC Santa Barbara and a Business Professional Certification from UCSB Extension Program. He is a member of Inventors Workshop International.
Together with his Rough & Tumble duties, John owns and operates his own machine shop in Santa Barbara, where he is always working on the next best thing.
Jacques Habra
CMO (aka "Cool Pooch")
Jacques Habra is Chief Marketing Officer at Rough & Tumble, a privately-owned company based in Santa Barbara, Calif., that develops products that bring people and animals closer together. At Rough & Tumble, Jacques is responsible for all of the company's sales and marketing efforts.
Rough & Tumble will launch the Brush Buddy, a new pet product for dogs who love to be loved while getting cleaned, dried, brushed and massaged by their owners, in February 2008.
In 1996, while studying English and Philosophy at the University of Michigan (he graduated with honors), Jacques formed a technology company, Web Elite, that became one of the nation's leading web and application development firms.
As CEO of Web Elite, Jacques received several prestigious awards, including the Anderson Young Information Technology Entrepreneur of the Year Award in 2001, three finalist nods as Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year for consecutives years in 2000-2002, three GLIMA awards, and three Fast Track awards.
Following the sale of Web Elite in 2002, Jacques founded Noospheric, LLC, a company which he continues to run. Noospheric provides consulting and development services for emerging companies.
In addition to focusing his energy on making the launch of the Brush Buddy a success, Jacques finds time to enjoy all of Santa Barbara’s engaging outdoor activities. He is a participant in the Big Brothers Big Sisters program of Santa Barbara, as well as an active donor/volunteer with The Heart Association, Arthritis Foundation, Red Cross, and several other noteworthy organizations.
Roman
Chief of Quality Assurance (CQA)
Roman, a medium sized white mutt, is the inspiration for Rough & Tumble's Brush Buddy, the new pet product for dogs who love to be loved while getting cleaned, dried, brushed and massaged by their owners. In his role as Chief of Quality Assurance, Roman happily lets the Rough & Tumble team demonstrate the Brush Buddy's features and benefits using him as a model – anytime and anywhere.
Born in Guatemala in 2003 – and originally called Seraphim, which means angel in Spanish – Roman's owners brought him to Santa Barbara when he was a puppy to live with an elderly member of their family.
At the same time that Roman came to the U.S., Rough & Tumble co-founder Dave Fortson and his wife, Terra, decided they were ready to adopt a dog. The dog would have to fit several criteria, however: it needed to be a small or medium-sized pooch with short hair, smart, cuddly, energetic and good with kids. Most important of all, it needed to be a mutt.
Not long after their decision, while walking around their neighborhood, Dave and Terra spotted a cute white puppy poking his little wet nose through a fence. It was Roman. And it was love at first sight.
Like all good stories, this one had a happy ending. After visiting the puppy – who met all their criteria – for several weeks, Dave and Terra were able to adopt him when his elderly owner moved into a nursing home.
Today, Roman is a much-loved member of the Fortson family, accompanying them on all their travels.