Get personal with the man who has over 20 pro-models and just added a new one from Compatriot, Kevin Jones.How long have you been riding for Compatriot? Compatriot was around for a while in the beginning of the decade. They made a short run and the owner Kelly Williams Ended up getting a job at Burton and put the company on hold for awhile. Last year around this time he contacted me and told me what the company was about and asked me for some help starting it up again. I was into the company and what they where about so I decided be a rider/part owner of the company. Is this your first pro model? My first pro model was with Lamar snowboards in 1995. I Had pro models with Jeenyus Snowboards and now with compatriot. I think around 20 of them all said and done. Tail and nose of the new Kevin Jones Pro-model Hot damn that's alot of boards. What qualifies one for a model all their own, and who makes those decisions? Back in the Lamar days the team and Bert (Bert Lamar was the owner of Lamar snowboards back then) would choose who got the pro models. My first one was the most important to me because of the team at the time. John Cardiel (who was a childhood hero of mine,) Mike Ranquet, Andy Hetzel, Jimmy Hallopoff were all such huge influences to me and to be “in the pro model club” with them was quite an honor.  Basically, a pro model should come from being at a point in your career where you are getting video parts and or  winning contests and are at a certain point where your name is “valuable” and recognizable to the consumer. The objective is that Johnny shred comes into a shop recognizes your name and chooses your board for mom to buy instead of the other 99 boards he has to choose from. What inspired the graphics and who created them? The graphics I came up with because I wanted to do something similar to what I had done in the past with no restraints on it. The board had to ride good for me first of all. I want a board that I can make high speed run outs in Alaska and ride a mailbox on the next run. It has to be well rounded, not to stiff and not to soft. I'm kind of a pain in the ass when it comes to flex on a board because its hard to explain what I want. Most people who work at the factories know how to make a good stiff board and they also know how to make a good Jib board but combining the two seems to be a little tough without coming out with just a really bad snowboard. So I'm stoked it took a year to dial it in but I'm happy with it!! The graphics are a product of one of my brain farts. KJ chillin backcountry What is it about your board that makes it the dankest one yet? I don’t know if its the “dankest” board yet but I'm stoked on it and that is what a pro model should be…. A board designed by the pro that he actually rides. A lot of companies slap a name on a board that already exists, or put graphics on a board the pro “really likes” that’s not the case with my board. I get it out of the plastic and ride it.   Sammy & KJ getting their heli on in Valdez Plans for the summer? Summer time is for skateboarding and fishing although, I do have a plane ticket for August to Argentina? Go to Mt. Hood for a couple weeks shred a little?? We’ll see what happens! Shout outs? Thanks to Compatriot, Billabong, Bluebird, DVS, Union, Remind, buoloco.com and everyone who has helped me continue snowboarding throughout the years!