When the International Custom Rod Building Expo changed hands, rod builders had one big question: what would the future of ICRBE look like?
For an event that has become the biggest annual gathering in custom rod building, any transition was bound to draw attention. The Expo has long been the place where builders, suppliers, educators, and industry leaders come together to share techniques, see new products, and reconnect with the people who make the craft what it is.
Now, with David Boyle at the helm, the message is clear. The goal is not to reinvent ICRBE into something unrecognizable. It is to preserve what made the event special while building on it in meaningful ways.
Boyle summed up that approach simply: “I like to think that the show is what you’ve always known it to be, plus extra, extra added dimension of enhanced learning opportunities.”
That line captures why he feels like a natural fit for the role. Boyle is not stepping into ICRBE as an outsider. He is already well known in rod building circles through ThreadCentral, his teaching, and his past involvement with the Expo. He understands both the event itself and the community that supports it.
Boyle, known to many rod builders through ThreadCentral, is taking over the show along with Mary Christie. He steps into the role with a clear appreciation for the foundation already built, while also recognizing the work longtime Expo leader Tom Kirkman put into making ICRBE “this awesome, spectacular, one of a kind show.”
That context matters. ICRBE already had a strong identity before the ownership change. Boyle’s challenge was never about starting from scratch. It was about carrying that momentum forward.
From the way he talks about the Expo, Boyle seems to understand exactly what builders value most. “In all of my dealings with the show and dealings with the software, it’s all about people,” he said. “It’s about helping people. It’s about meeting people. And the quality of people that you meet at the show and in rod building in general is fantastic.”
That people first mindset is a big reason many builders will feel encouraged by his leadership. ICRBE has always been about more than booths and products. It is about access. It is about being able to talk directly with owners, designers, and experienced builders. It is about learning from people who actually do the work.
Boyle also made it clear that he wants the Expo to keep delivering on that experience at a high level. “We’ve got all the elements of the typical ICRBE,” he said. “We’ve got over 30 vendors. We’ve got a lot of floor space. In fact, this year, we’ve probably got 30% more floor space than we’ve ever had at the Benton. We’ve got dedicated seminar areas. We’ve got two dedicated Learning Center spaces.”
That emphasis on learning stands out. One of ICRBE’s biggest strengths has always been the chance to do more than just walk the show floor. Builders can sit in seminars, watch demonstrations, ask questions, and get hands on with tools and techniques that are difficult to fully understand from a screen.
Boyle leaned into that part of the Expo in a big way. “We will have seminars and Learning Center sessions running throughout the day,” he said. He described seminars led by industry experts covering techniques, history, and the creative side of rod building, including “what mistakes have they made along the way, and how have they learned from it?”
That kind of programming reflects a healthy understanding of how builders actually improve. Not just by hearing polished success stories, but by learning from real trial and error.
He described the Learning Center in equally practical terms: “We have vendors and experts demonstrating techniques, which you can sit down at the table and follow along with products, with equipment.” Then he asked the question that probably explains the appeal of ICRBE as well as anything: “Where else can you sit down in front of half a dozen different types of similar equipment, and try each one, see which one works for you?”
That hands on value is hard to overstate. For newer builders, it shortens the learning curve and makes purchasing decisions easier. For experienced builders, it creates an opportunity to compare options, refine methods, and discover something new.
Boyle also highlighted the support behind that educational experience, pointing to companies and sponsors helping make the Learning Center happen. That support reflects confidence not just in the event, but in the direction it is heading.
Just as important, Boyle’s appreciation for the rod building community does not come across as empty talk. He shared one story about a vendor who could not attend but still wanted to contribute items for giveaways. “To me, that’s a vendor who isn’t even going to be there and is offering their support,” Boyle said. “To me, that’s totally humbling.”
That reaction says a lot. It suggests he sees ICRBE not simply as a business asset, but as something the community has helped build together.
Faulkner reinforced that idea throughout the conversation, noting how special the show is because of the level of access it gives builders. At ICRBE, you are not just seeing products on a table. In many cases, you are speaking directly with the people behind the companies, the people who designed the tools, imported the blanks, built the wraps, or developed the finishes. That kind of face to face interaction is rare, and it is part of what has always made the Expo stand apart.
That is why Boyle’s stewardship matters. A strong Expo does not just happen because a venue is booked and vendors show up. It happens because the person leading it understands what builders are really coming for.
From his comments, Boyle appears to get that. He understands the educational side. He understands the social side. He understands the value of putting builders, brands, and instructors in the same room and letting the community do what it does best.
For Anglers Resource readers and the wider rod building world, that should be encouraging.
ICRBE has entered a new chapter, but it does not sound like it is losing its identity. If anything, Boyle’s vision suggests a future that stays rooted in the same passion that built the Expo in the first place.
A new owner always brings questions. In this case, the early answer seems to be a good one.
