The Talent Studios Places Senior Leader of Operations for Sparx Hockey

The Talent Studios has placed Jim McParland as Vice President of Operations at Sparx Hockey, an innovative leader in automated skate sharpening and precision hockey equipment trusted by professionals, retailers, and athletes around the world. Founded in 2013, Sparx has been backed by North Castle Partners, a consumer-focused private equity firm with more than 20 years of experience investing in brands such as Glow Recipe, Nest, Therabody, and VitaCup. It was recently named the fastest growing sports brand—and one of the fastest growing private companies in the U.S by Inc. Magazine.

McParland brings over two decades of experience leading manufacturing, engineering, and operational excellence across medical technology, robotics, and advanced manufacturing sectors. Most recently with Amazon, he managed complex manufacturing operations and automation initiatives at large. His previous leadership roles include Director of Operations at Newton Scientific, Operations and Site Leader at BK Medical, and senior roles at Rapid Micro Biosystems and Thermedics Polymer Products.

In his new role, McParland will oversee all aspects of Sparx Hockey’s operations—including manufacturing, supply chain, and logistics—as the company continues scaling to meet growing global demand. He will partner closely with the executive team to scale global distribution, particularly as the company’s portfolio is used by thousands of customers and 25+ NHL teams worldwide.

The search was led by The Talent Studios’ Heather Porter and Elisa Kay Goebal, collaborating closely with Sparx’s leadership team to secure a proven operational leader to drive the next phase of growth.