This Father's Day, COPA President and CEO Danny Goldszer reflects on growing up in the family business, the family beach traditions passed down from his father, and the memories he hopes to create with his three boys.
Long before Danny Goldszer became President and CEO of COPA, he was a kid walking the beach with his father, learning the business one boardwalk visit at a time.
Today, he's doing much the same thing—only now, he's joined by his own three boys.
As we celebrate Father's Day, Danny reflects on the lessons passed down from his father, the family values that continue to guide COPA, and the beach traditions he hopes to pass on to the next generation.
Where It All Began
Some of Danny's earliest memories aren't just of family vacations—they're of learning the business alongside his father.
"One of my earliest memories is going to the beach after school and walking the boardwalk with my dad," Danny recalls. "We would check in with customers, see if they needed more products, or collect payments."
But there was always time to enjoy the beach, too.
"We also loved taking family vacations around the beach," he says. "That was always our happy place."
Even then, the beach wasn't just a destination—it was a classroom.
The family would walk the shoreline looking for COPA products, observing what people were using, and learning firsthand what beachgoers needed.
"We still do it today," Danny says. "We love walking the beach and seeing what's going on."
Watching a Dream Take Shape
Long before COPA became a trusted name for beach families, Danny watched his father work tirelessly to build the business from the ground up.
"What I remember most is how hard he worked," Danny says. "He was determined to make the business succeed. He did whatever it took."
But beyond determination, there was something else that left a lasting impression.
"The most important thing was the trust he built in the market. Everyone knew he was tough, but everyone also had tremendous respect for him."
That trust became the foundation on which COPA was built.
As the company grew, Danny began to realize it was becoming something much larger than a beach chair business.
"Every year the catalogs got bigger and bigger," he says. "Customers trusted my father so much that they kept asking him to bring in more products. That's how the business grew."
Lessons That Still Guide COPA Today
When asked what values from his father continue to shape the way he leads COPA, Danny's answer comes quickly:
"Trust and communication."
Those principles were taught early and remain at the heart of the company today.
"They've always been part of who we are, and they always will be."
It's also what makes continuing the family business so meaningful.
"Some people feel they need to build something entirely on their own," Danny says. "But being able to follow in my parents' footsteps and continue building what they started means everything to me."
He hopes one day the legacy continues yet again.
"Hopefully I'll be able to pass it on to my kids. It's something my father and I can be proud of together."
Creating Family Beach Memories as a Father
Today, Danny experiences beach days from a different perspective—not as a son, but as a father of three boys.
That shift has changed the way he thinks about family beach days and the products COPA creates.
"I understand now how much work it takes to get everything together and actually get it to the beach," he says. "When we're developing products, we think about that. How can we make the beach day easier, better, and more fun for families?"
His boys are already creating traditions of their own.
"They love walking the beach looking for seashells," Danny says. "That's our thing."
Growing up around the family business has also created some memorable moments.
"They'll point out products and ask, 'Is that yours? It looks like one of yours.'"
For Danny, those moments are a reminder that the family legacy is still being written.
Passing Down Family Beach Traditions
Just like Danny's childhood, many of his family's vacations revolve around the beach.
"It's still our happy place," he says. "It's where we can relax, spend time together, and make memories."
Of course, old habits die hard.
"We're always keeping our eyes open for what's happening around us and what our next big idea might be."
When asked what a perfect beach day looks like today, the answer is simple:
"Walking the beach looking for seashells, throwing a football around, and body boarding in the waves."
For Danny, some of the most meaningful moments happen when he sees his own boys enjoying the same beach traditions he grew up with.
Whether they're searching for seashells along the shoreline, spotting COPA products in the sand, or spending the day together by the water, those moments are a reminder of what the brand has always been about.
Three generations of the Goldszer family have shared a love for the beach. And while the products have evolved over the years, the mission remains the same: helping families spend less time worrying about the logistics of a beach day and more time making memories together.
After all, that's how many of COPA's products are designed today—with real families in mind, inspired by decades of beach days and the lessons passed down from one generation to the next.
That's a legacy worth passing on.
When asked what he hopes families feel when they use COPA products, Danny's answer is simple:
"Love."
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