# Steve Irby

> Steve Irby is the founder, president and CEO of Stillwater Designs, the Stillwater, Oklahoma company behind KICKER. A keyboard player who began building speakers for his band, he started the business in 1973 and developed the Original KICKER vehicle enclosure in 1980. He remains involved in product design and company leadership.

- **Role:** Founder, President and CEO at Stillwater Designs, Inc. - KICKER
- **Organizations:** Stillwater Designs, Inc. - KICKER, Moses (band)
- **Education:** Oklahoma State University
- **Known for:** Founded Stillwater Designs in 1973., Developed the Original KICKER full-range vehicle speaker enclosure in 1980., Helped develop the Solo-Baric concept for bass from a smaller enclosure.

## Career timeline

- **1964** — Recalls forming a rock band with friends after the Beatles toured the United States.
- **1973** — Starts Stillwater Designs with a roommate, building professional speaker systems in a garage.
- **1976** — Buys his original partner’s interest in the business.
- **1980** — Develops the Original KICKER enclosure for pickup trucks.
- **1990** — Says the company begins selling internationally.
- **2006** — KICKER launches its marine audio line; Stillwater acquires SoundGate.
- **2023** — Marks 50 years in business with a letter to customers.
- **2026** — Gives a signed Moses Live album to Velvet Fudge owner Henry Ramsay.

## Achievements

- Founded Stillwater Designs in 1973.
- Developed the Original KICKER full-range vehicle speaker enclosure in 1980.
- Helped develop the Solo-Baric concept for bass from a smaller enclosure.
- Led an audio business that expanded from professional speakers into automotive and marine products.

## Latest updates

- **2026-04** — The Stillwegian reports his March 26 visit to Velvet Fudge and gift of a signed Moses Live album.
- **2025-12** — Discusses modest sales growth, continued independence and product-design priorities in an interview about entering 2026.
- **2025-11** — A Marine Retailers Association account describes his continuing daily presence at KICKER headquarters.

## Links

- Website: https://www.kicker.com/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/steve-irby-aab79613

---

Profile page: https://yespress.io/steve-irby
Published by YesPress — https://yespress.io
Last updated: 2026-10-22