Chart topper: Music industry exec rises to the occasion

Crystal Morris wasn’t sure she had the chops to succeed her father at the helm of Tampa-based Gator Co. She got there with a simple start.

By Brian Hartz
| 11:50 a.m. November 18, 2021
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Mark Wemple. Crystal Morris is the president and CEO of Gator Co., a Tampa company that specializes in accessories for musicians and musical instruments.

Leadership

The COVID-19 pandemic kneecapped many businesses in certain industries — think restaurants and hospitality — while unexpectedly boosting others. Among the latter are companies that make musical instruments and accessories, which became hot commodities for people stuck at home with time to take up new hobbies. Legendary guitar maker Fender Musical Instruments Corp., for example, saw its sales rise from $600 million in 2019 to more than $700 million in 2020, according to CNBC, and it anticipates a record-breaking year for sales in 2021.

‘I wasn’t sure if I was outward-facing enough, if I had the chops [to lead]. So I started writing down all the things I thought I should do to fix this or answer that. I used that as a guide and referred back to it.’ Crystal Morris, CEO of Gator Co.