SIA News 7.9

11/10/2011

// NEWS

EXTRAORDINARY SUCCESS IN GROWING PARTICIPATION
Last summer, SIA Research requested an opportunity to evaluate the Pennsylvania Ski Areas Association (PSAA)Snowpass Program independently. The goal was to determine whether this type of program helps to grow participation in snow sports and if it could be replicated in other school districts around the country. What we found was an amazing program that gets kids skiing and riding and brings their parents back to snow sports.

The PSAA Snowpass Program for 4th and 5th grade students is a shining example of programs that keep kids active in winter, teach them new skills that build overall confidence and bring families together in an active environment. The Snowpass program introduces thousands of Pennsylvania’s students and their parents to skiing and riding, provides them with lifelong snow sports skills, and brings them back to ski and ride year after year.

The Snowpass program is open to both 4th and 5th grade students, in and out of state, who ski at Pennsylvania ski areas during the 2011/12 season. Last season, PSAA recorded over 13,000 4th & 5th grade participants in the Snowpass program, which offers one (1) complimentary Learn to Ski/Snowboard Package as well as three (3) complimentary child's day lift tickets to each of the 22 participating member resorts throughout Pennsylvania. Additionally, parents or guardians of Snowpass students were eligible for one Adult Learn to Ski/Snowboard Package (for accompanying adult) at 50% off retail value. (This package is not being offered in 2011-12).

“Pennsylvania's 4th and 5th Grade Snowpass Program has proven that ski areas, reps, manufacturers and retailers can work together to help grow the sport of skiing and snowboard,” stated Linda Irvin, PSAA Executive Director. “All elements of the industry have helped to get the word out in addition to offering value added incentives that have driven participation by students and their parents. Participation in the program continues to grow annually. I am really proud of what our association, member ski areas and industry sponsors have done to make our program as successful as it is.”

Many students and their parents would not have participated in snow sports last season if not for the Snowpass program.

30% of students and close to 60% of parents in the program would not have gone skiing or snowboard riding in the absence of the Snowpass program.
95% of Snowpass Program participants (parents and kids) say they plan to ski and/or ride next season. That is an astounding conversion rate; the industry average for converting beginners to repeat participants is just 18%.
More than half of respondents rated this program as “best possible” and 90% indicated the program was “good” or better.

According to respondents to the Snowpass survey this program is not only successful, but highly appreciated by participants and their parents.

“This program really helped to ensure that we, as a family, got out to the slopes as often as possible. It helped our 4th/5th grader improve his ability on the slopes and also deepened his love for the sport. The program is definitely a good investment in the youth - who of course, are future customers of the industry. Also, many of his friends had the snowpass and often times several families went skiing together. we even spent a weekend at Elk and that may not have happened were it not for the snowpass.” – Snowpass participant.

PSAA Snowpass Program We also found direct economic benefits to the state of Pennsylvania that can be attributed directly to the Snowpass program. Not only do Snowpass participants and their families continue to visit Pennsylvania resorts after they have exhausted the benefits of the program, but they tend to purchase snow sports gear at Pennsylvania snow sports specialty shops. More than 40% of parents indicate that their kids own their equipment and another 14% lease that equipment seasonally, a result that is far above the national average for kids. Snow Sports specialty retail shops and resorts represent thousands of jobs and millions in tax revenue generation that support the overall Pennsylvania economy. Finally, according to the 2011 SIA study – Revisiting Growing the Snow Sports Industry, getting a participant involved in snow sports by 10 years of age, they will spend an average of $72,758 over their lifetime on snow sports whereas a participant who started at age 25 will spend $19,772. The benefits to the snow sports industry are increased dramatically when participants start skiing or riding early just as the Pennsylvania Snowpass program succeeds in doing.

Learn more about the 2011/11 PSAA Snowpass Program.

To read the full report on the Pennsylvania Snowpass program or to get more information about research into growing snow sports participation please contact Kelly Davis, SIA's Director of Research at KDavis@snowsports.org or by phone at 703.506.4224.

SIA provides research that covers all aspects of the snow industry and helps your company maintain a competitive edge. Lean more.

SIA/GES TRADE SHOW PREP EXHIBITOR WEBINAR
November 17 and December 13
“To help you in your trade show preparations, SIA and GES will be conducting a Trade Show Webinar this fall. Mark your calendar for November 17 at 11A EST or December 13 at 2P EST. This webinar will help you make decisions that will save you and your company both time and money. Some of the key topics to be reviewed are: Exhibitors Services Manual, the GES Call Center, Order Process, Deadlines, Freight, Union Jurisdiction — who does what, cost-saving tips and many other items. Check out the Exhibitor section on the Snow Show website for more information.

It will be a great refresher for everyone who has been charge of trade show preparations for many years, as well as, be a great source of information if you are new to the SIA Snow Show. At the end of the webinar you will be able to ask any additional questions that you may have.

Watch your inbox for an email with a link and instructions for the webinar.

SUPPORTING MEMBERS: SEMINAR OPPORTUNITY
Due to overwhelming interest this year, SIA has instituted a new benefit for our supporting members. At the 2012 SIA Snow Show, Supporting members will be able present seminars at the Show. One hour time slots will be offered per company and assignments will be on a first come first serve basis. A room will be set up at the Show for presentations including AV (mic, screen and projector). Your seminar will be included in the schedule of events for the Show, in the Snow Show Preview and Daily, on our website, Show App, etc. In order to confirm a time, please send Maggie Bittner, MBitterner@snowsports.org, the following information:

Preferred time (currently available are listed below)
Friday, January 27 or Saturday, January 28 at 7:30A, 9A, 10:30A, 12P, 1:30P, 3P and 4:30P
Title of Seminar
2-3 Sentence Description
Name of Presenter
Bio of Presenter (optional)

Questions? Contact Maggie Bittner, Associate Director Meetings, Events & Education,
E: MBitterner@snowsports.org P: 703.506.4223.

“BECOME AN EXPERT IN THE INDUSTRY – KNOW YOUR CUSTOMER, YOUR MARKET, YOUR COMPETITION,” TIPS FROM JULIE GARRY, OUTDOOR GEAR, INC
Julie Garry at the 2011 SIA Snow Show. We recently caught up with Julie Garry, CEO of Outdoor Gear, Inc. (OGI) and SIA Board member, to learn more about her unique start in the industry and get her outlook on being a woman in the industry. Julie was born and raised in North Dakota. After attending Augustana College, she began her first career with Citibank. After 28 years, she left her position as SVP Bankcard Operations to take over as CEO of Outdoor Gear, Inc. when her husband, founder of OGI, passed away. Julie has two sons, Adam who works at Outdoor Gear and John, who attends college in Colorado, where he can enjoy the mountains. Although she has always been an avid outdoors participant, joining the ski and snowboard industry has encouraged her to get on the mountain more and improve her downhill skills.

SIA: How did you get involved in the industry?
Julie: Outdoor Gear, Inc. was founded in 1999 by my husband, Jeff Garry. His passion for the snow sports industry was evident by all who knew him. When he passed away, I made the decision to leave my banking career behind and join the Outdoor Gear team, a decision that I have never regretted. Although it is a far cry from the banking world, I am fortunate to be able to use many of the skills I had acquired in that role. We remain fully committed to the values Jeff had established for Outdoor Gear – providing high quality, affordable product, supported by exceptional delivery and service. I have been so impressed with the people of the snow sports industry and the passion they have for the sport and the industry. It is great to work with so many people that love what they do!

SIA: As a CEO, what does a typical day look like for you?
Julie: I make it a priority to focus on ensuring our team has the resources and tools necessary to be exceptional at what they do. I am blessed with a team that is fully committed to their customers, their jobs and the success of OGI, making it a joy to come to work each day! With a banking background, a significant portion of my day is spent on “the numbers” – sales, margins, the competition, inventories, production opportunities. Keeping abreast of the market, whether it is our customers or the end user, is a priority. With a lean staff, we all wear multiple hats which allows each employee at Outdoor Gear to more deeply understand the business allowing us to better meet the needs of our customers.

SIA: What is the most rewarding part of your job?
Julie: Without a doubt, the most rewarding part of the job comes from the relationships with our customers, suppliers and our internal team. A team approach is critical to developing a product which meets the needs of the end user of our product. When all is said and done, seeing our product on the mountain is the ultimate high.

SIA: What do you think is the biggest challenge for women in the industry?
Julie: It is my belief that challenges in the industry are the same for both men and women – increasing costs, slow economy, extended lead times, climate, increasing compliance requirements, risk in participation rates. As with most industries, women have rightfully earned the respect of their male counterparts and have equaled their chances of success.

SIA: What advice would you give to women who are looking to get in the industry or just started competing in a male-dominated industry?
Julie: Do all you can to become an expert in the industry – know your customer, your market, your competition. Develop relationships throughout the industry as this is a key element of success. It is imperative to understand the needs and wants of the end user of your products and the trends that are appealing to them. Surround yourself with the best and use them to compliment your strengths and challenge your weaknesses. And always, conduct all your business with the highest level of integrity. Love what you do and have fun doing it!

SIA: What are some of the biggest lessons that you have learned in your career? Personally and professionally?
Julie:

It is easy to be good at what you do if you love what you do! If you don’t enjoy your job, it is time to do something else.
Your work life should be an extension of your personal life – passion, integrity, willingness to help others, tenacity in all you do, strive to be an exceptional partner.
It takes a team to accomplish your personal goals. Always surround yourself with the best and do not be threatened by those who know more than you do. Instead capitalize on their strengths and you will watch yourself grow.
Lack of communication is a recipe for failure.
It is all about the customer, regardless of the industry.

SIA: Overall feelings about the about the 2011.12 Season (industry/company)? Lows/highs? What’s up for next year? What are you most excited about?
Julie: With another La Nin~a predicted and an exciting line which continues to offer strong styling, high quality and affordable cost, I am expecting another year of growth for the Outdoor Gear brands (Boulder Gear, Snow Dragons, Rawik, AFRC). With the economy recovering slower than originally expected, I believe consumers will remain extremely sensitive to cost which continues to put pressure on wholesalers and retailers alike. Conflicts within the buy/sell cycle will accelerate as pressure is put on the snow sports vendors to place orders earlier each season. Manufacturers will be forced to more aggressively pursue production alternatives as costs continue to rise. Competition within the industry will remain strong resulting in continued consolidation of retailers and brands.

We are extremely excited to preview our new collection with our customers and prospective customers. Coming off of an awesome winter last season, inventories are low and attitudes are positive – a great combination.

YOUR GUIDE TO SIA- A REVISIT: THE BLUE BOOK
Checkout SIA’s Blue Book- a “quick view” of all SIA has to offer; our programs, initiatives, research, services, government affairs efforts and trade show are designed to help strengthen your business and grow the snow sports industry. Revisit what SIA’s Membership means to you and share with your staff. Download the iPad version here.

SIA MOBILE WEBSITE IS HERE!
SIA’s mobile site, m.snowsports.org, is live offering members, retailers, reps and the industry a convenient way to navigate snowsports.org using your smartphone and iPad. Once on the site, you can find easy to navigate tabs that will direct you to some of our most popular sections on snowsports.org including; SIA Research, the SIA Directory, Member Benefits, Industry Planner, SIA’s Latest and the SIA Snow Show site.

NEW UPDATES LAUNCHING ON SNOWLINK.COM: SIA’S CONSUMER WEBSITE
Linking consumers and media to snow sports
With snow starting to fall across the country, resorts opening and products selling, we are launching our updated and improved consumer website Snowlink.com. From Snowlink.com’s homepage, consumers and media can chose from call-out sections: skiing, snowboarding, snowshoeing, and cross country skiing. Each section includes content specific to that activity on; how to dress, pick the right equipment, what's new from top brands, gear & styles trends, SIA Member brand search, snow pros and safety tips, ski & snowboard clubs, 2012 buyer’s guides, freeski callout, AT/backcountry section (coming soon), kids zone, retailer and resort locator, snow report, athlete twitter feeds, etc. The site is a great resource for anyone getting started in snow sports or enthusiasts looking to improve their skills and find brands, shops and resorts. Snowlink also includes articles on the trends, information on different types of riding/skiing, snow sports product image gallery (Gear & Styles) tuning information, the latest snow sports news and events, travel information (Ship Your Gear) and more.

The site is a great tool for media in search of basic snow sports information and tips.Snowlink.com hosts Winter Trails, Winter Feels Good and links to Learn to Ski and Snowboard Month – World Snowboard Day consumer initiatives with the goal of getting more people on snow.

Connect your customers to Snowlink.com by posting a “Snowlink banner” on your website. Download now! Continue to visit Snowlink.com for new articles and updates.

GEAR & STYLES PRODUCT GALLERY
REMINDER:If you haven't already, be sure to upload your product images (in shops now) to the Gear & Styles on the Snow section on Snowlink.com. This opportunity is available to SIA Members at no cost and is easy to participate (see directions below) and gain exposure to consumers and media. This section is designed to highlight this season's products or what's available at retail for Fall/Winter 2011.12. Please do not hesitate to contact, Anovia Daniels with additional questions at: ADaniels@snowsports.org or 703.506.4214.

WAYS TO IMPROVE SALES AND INCREASE PROFITS
Seminar Video that will help build your bottom line
Increasing sales and gross profit in any market can be a difficult undertaking. In today’s market it is increasingly difficult, however; it can be done. At the 2011 SIA Snow Show, Kevin Graff, president of Graff Retail, presented ideas that can improve sales, increase margin and profits. View past seminar presentations and videos to share with your staff and use to help grow and improve your business.

“Every day, retailers lose potential sales to customers who have already walked in the door. And each month, they sacrifice better cash flow and gross margin because of shortcomings in managing their inventory,” said Kevin Graff, president of Graff Retail. “While retailers are getting much better at running their business, what remains true is that there is far greater potential for success than most are realizing. Learning from the errors of others, putting in place essential systems for inventory and cash flow, getting better staff performance and becoming a stronger retail manager will always produce better sales and profits.”

Seminar Descriptions:
13 Critical Management Errors … And How To Avoid Them!
CLICK HERE TO VIEW VIDEO PRESENTATION.
In this seminar, you will learn ideas that improve sales, increase margin and build your bottom line. Download program guide.
VIDEO BOX

20 Ways To Improve Your Sales and Profits, Starting Today!
CLICK HERE TO VIEW VIDEO PRESENTATION.
This seminar provides practical ideas that focus on increasing your sales and profits immediately. Download program guide.
Video BOX

For more information, contact Kevin Graff of Graff Retail at Kevin@graffretail.com.

AFFORDABLE HOLIDAY MERCHANDISING TIPS
Holiday Decorations Three Ways - Getting Your Shop/Showroom in Festive Mode Should Be A Top Priority
Tips from merchandising guru, Ali Levy, alijlevy@gmail.com

Ugh. It’s here. The holiday season is upon us. It’s the time of year when we eat far too much of everything that is wonderfully decadent and full of calories in that good old fashioned harvest-y way. The days are shorter. We dig hats and gloves out from storage. There is much to do in the next two months. And getting your shop/showroom in festive mode should be a top priority. Decorating for the holidays is usually one of two things: something one person loves to do or something everyone dreads and draws straws to see who gets stuck untangling strings of lights from last year that lie in a box somewhere in a dark corner of the basement. Happy Holidays? I think not.

This month I’ve tried to simplify the process by providing three easy themes to help you successfully deck the halls without breaking the bank or causing bodily injury to yourself or others. I find that once you settle on a theme it’s much easier to stay on track and create a consistent presentation throughout your store/showroom in regards to color and aesthetics.

The three themes are:

Classic Holidays - using vintage inspired ornaments and décor in red, green, silver and gold to conjure up nostalgic memories.
Retro Holidays - sourcing wildly colorful tinsel trees and ornaments in shades that are suddenly new again.
Non-denominational - for those of us who don’t celebrate Christmas; per se, but still like to get jiggy with the holiday mood.

CLASSIC HOLIDAYS
It seems that in times of a weary and uncertain economy, we are comforted by things from our past. Familiar objects make us feel safe. And this feeling can translate to robust sales. Here’s what you’ll need:

Keep your colors traditional, using red, green, silver and gold.
Purchase yards of plaid or holiday themed fabric that can be used as window display backdrops and as coverings for gift tables.
Stick to the classic white lights, LED or the regular small bulbs.
You can find vintage tinsel on factorydirectcraft.com .
Candy canes, ornaments from Target in pre-boxed color combo’s, small pine trees, fake snow, (also available on factorydirectcraft.com and vermontcountrystore.com ), stockings and buckets and bins in shiny colors for great grab and go gift ideas that you can strategically spread throughout the store.
Garlands with holly berries and pine cones.
Use props like old ice skates, wooden sleds or skis, and old Christmas family photos in picture frames.
Rent, stream or buy some classic DVD’s to play on your TV if you have one. “Scrooge”,” It’s a Wonderful Life” and ”Miracle on 42nd Street” are sure bets to attract a captive audience. If you can set up a TV in your front window, play them there. Sure to bring customers inside!

RETRO HOLIDAYS
This theme is fun especially given the fact that outerwear colors are again bold and bright this year as are hardgoods and top sheet graphics. Here’s what you’ll need:

Vivid tinsel trees in purple, blue and red.
Purchase yards of fabric that say “holiday” but in unexpected colors, like bright blues and electric greens.
Buy some LED holiday lights in different shapes, like pinecones or small spheres.
Do you know someone who has a decoy deer in their garage? It could be great in the store or front window dressed with a hat and scarf. Thrift shops can provide a treasure trove of tacky, wacky lawn ornaments and kitschy holiday finds.
Target has a great selection of vibrant stars, wreathes, garlands and fun ornaments. Shop early for the best selection. Try the local Dollar store as well.
Urbn.com (Urban Outfitters’ website) has imaginative holiday items as well for decorating trees and front windows. Go to the Apartment section of the website for holiday décor.
Rent, stream or buy funny Christmas classics like “A Christmas Story”, “Trading Places”, “The Grinch who Stole Christmas” and of course anything by Rankin-Bass, (rankinbass.com) responsible for such memorable characters as the Heat and Cold Misers, Bumble, the Abominable Snowman and Yukon Cornelius. See – you’re in the holiday mood already!

Non-Denominational
Lastly, there is a “Festivus for the rest of us”, thanks to a memorable Seinfeld episode. Many of us don’t celebrate Christmas. I mean, I just learned what an Advent calendar was last year! Growing up, I think we were the only Jewish family on the street that celebrated Christmas, so I do appreciate it when the holidays include everyone, no matter what your religion. It’s a time for celebration. Here’s what you’ll need:

Use lots of green, red, silver and white – colors synonymous with the season.
You can create signage that simply states “Happy Holidays” and everyone is covered!
For lights, you can purchase branches that come with LED bulbs and can be used any time of year.
The use of greenery is a great way to get the festive message across – use garlands with snow covered pine cones and holly berries.
You can buy plain artificial wreathes at craft stores and decorate with sprigs of herbs, cranberries or popcorn.
Poinsettias are also a good way to commemorate the season. You can also buy some Amaryllis plants and Paper Whites that are amazingly fragrant.
Make snowflakes out of mismatched buttons, wine corks or bottle caps.
Use fake snow in your windows or polyester batting to resemble snow.
Matzo boxes under a tree can add humor to a display.
Rent, stream or buy movies that appeal to a wide audience like “Christmas Vacation”, “Elf” or “Home Alone”.

Along with your merchandising tool kit, you can create a welcoming environment for all, where shoppers will want to come celebrate the season and more importantly open their wallets. Little extras like cookies and hot cider are wonderful to encourage lingering. Pop in the holiday music. Soon you will be one less “bah humbug” away from dreading this time of year. And hey, just think, you only need to invest once in these supplies. Pack them away neatly and label the boxes so next year they are organized and easy to find. I hope these suggestions help you have a happy and profitable holiday season. Now, if only we can make it snow like last year, I’d be a believer for sure!

View past merchandising articles and our Merchandising Monday’s quicktips at snowsports.org/merchandising.

SIA is working with visual merchandising consultant Ali Levy, to provide Members with some fresh merchandising ideas for increasing sales and interest from buyers. Levy’s impressive resume includes managing retail, buying and trade show/retail merchandising efforts for some of the industry’s biggest names including The North Face, SmartWool, Cloudveil and Marmot. For more information about her company, contact Ali at alijlevy@gmail.com or visit her website, alijlevy.com.

SIA & NSSRA OFFER TURNKEY EMAIL PROGRAM FOR RETAILERS
FREE content marketing program helps retailers stay connected with customers
This season, SnowSports Industries America (SIA) and National Ski & Snowboard Retailers Association (NSSRA) want to make it easier for retailers to connect with their customers. To assist retailers with customer communications, SIA & NSSRA have created a turnkey email program – FREE for retailers to use in promoting their shop, services and the season’s hottest snow sports products.

Timely messages, sent throughout the season, that are complete with subject lines, copy and scheduling suggestions have been developed, that can be customized to include shop branding or a coupon/incentive to help drive business to their stores. General topics include: reminders to tune-up gear, fashion/style/gear trends, holiday gift ideas and other seasonally timed messages.

View timing and topics here.

The program was developed with direction from SIA’s Retailer Advisory Committee, whose members represent specialty ski and snowboard shops across the country, as well as NSSRA.

“Many specialty snow sports retailers don’t have the time or resources to create marketing campaigns, despite knowing they can help generate business,” said Brad Nelson, NSSRA Chairman of the Board, Hi Tempo Ski, Snowboard & Sail, White Bear Lake, Minn. “The program gives retailers access to customizable materials and is easy to implement. It’s a great turnkey program, and I would recommend that retailers add it to their marketing plans for the upcoming season.”

For more information on SIA’s retailer email program, please contact Mary Cecile Neville, SIA’s Associate Director Marketing & Communications, at MCNeville@snowsports.org or 703.506.4201.

THE WORD ON THE SLOPES
Every year since 1954… floral ties, mustaches, afros, bellbottoms, rope tows, cow chip throwing contests, hot-dogging, the list goes on. Help us relive the past (good and bad) by sending your Throwback Thursday photos for SIA Twitter and Facebook to SIAsm@snowsports.org.

Throwback Thursday

GET INVOLVED WITH WORLD SNOWBOARD DAY – DEC. 18
Download the WSD Organizers Guide Here.

WORLD SNOWBOARD DAY is back, Sunday, December 18, with more events and more participating countries than ever before. In its 6th year, this international snowboard festival is open to everyone and will feature free lessons for newcomers, contests, demos, equipment tests, parties, and music!

Get involved! Questions? Contact WSD at contact@worldsnowboardday.com.

Continue to visit World-Snowboard-Day.com for updates on new events, and join the World Snowboard Day community on social networks: MySpace, Facebook and Twitter.

WINTER TRAILS REGIONAL UPDATES FOR 2012
Winter Trails has updated details for its nine Anchor Site locations with complete listings including educational workshops, animal tracking and a variety of fun activities. The Anchor Sites represent the larger regional events for Winter Trails Day -- January 7, 2012 -- and span the entire country from Massachusetts to Washington State. Winter Trails locations, hours and offerings are posted at WinterTrails.org.

LEARN TO SKI AND SNOWBOARD MONTH: BRING A FRIEND AND WIN A TRIP TO UTAH

SKI Magazine and Ski Utah are teaming up to encourage skiers and snowboarders to Bring a Friend to their favorite resort and have a chance to win a four-day trip to Utah. During the month of January, any current skiers and snowboarders that help a friend sign up for a beginner lesson can become eligible to win a trip for two to ski or snowboard in Utah with a SKI magazine editor this winter. The promotion is part of Learn to Ski and Snowboard Month. Details are posted at skiandsnowboardmonth.org.

SKIING BUSINESS WEBINAR RECAP
Communications Strategies and Turning Online Fans into Offline Shoppers
On September 14, John Faris, Red Door Interactive’s online acquisition director, as well as Ben Friedland, Whole Foods Market’s Rocky Mountain region marketing vice president, presented Skiing Business’ first webinar, “New Communication Strategies for In-Store Promotions: Early Season Tips to get People in the Door.” View recap here. From the webinar, retailers learned that knowing customer’s habits and lifestyles should be a priority. About 83 percent of consumers say online customer reviews influenced their buying decision s retailers shouldn’t be afraid to ask for product reviews or even store reviews to boost free marketing efforts.

The second portion of the webinar, “Turn Online Fans into Online Shoppers,” presented by Jonathan Georger, Backbone Media’s online brand manager, and Eric Dieter, Movement Strategy’s co-founder, discussed how businesses can transform their online fans and followers into offline customers on getting people in the door and co-branded partnerships that businesses of all sizes can implement. View recap here.

Questions? Contact Ryan Dionne, editor for Skiing Business, at EditorSkiingBusiness@BonnierCorp.com. Sign up for their E-Newsletter here.

SAD NEWS: James “Jim” Van Doren, one of Vans' founders, passed away Oct 12 at his home in Fullerton after battling cancer for four years. He was 72. Van Doren co-founded Vans, originally known as the Van Doren Rubber Co., with his older brother Paul in 1966 in Anaheim, California. He ran the company from 1976 to 1984. Van Doren will always be remembered as a great innovator, mechanic and chemist that joined with brother Paul’s retail acumen and Gordy’s shoe manufacturing expertise to take Vans from that single store to national prominence and setting the stage for the global brand that Vans is today. Van Doren leaves his wife of 15 years, Char; three sons: Jim, Jr., Mark and Eric; brothers Paul and Robert; sister Bernice; and five grandchildren. Vans is a member of SIA’s Board.

OFFICIAL NEWS: HELMET LAW takes effect in New Jersey, the first state to require minors under the age of 18 to wear helmets for skiing or snowboarding at state resorts, on Nov. 1. There will be fines of $25 to $100 for those who violate the law. Learn more… New date and location for the NEWSR January Show! The January Show, January 8-11, 2012 at the Connecticut Convention Center, Hartford, CT. Learn more… Ed Pauls, NordicTrack inventor, dies at 80. Read more… In its founding year, the Squaw Valley-based Shane McConkey Foundation proudly donated $30,000 to causes that support environmental education. Learn more… Celerant Technology was highlighted in the CPA Practice Advisor’s 2011 Retail/POS Review for the third year in a row. Read more… Regina Imports is looking for a Sales Representative for the six New England States. Contact Regina for more information at 201.714.4294 or regina982@aol.com...Sports Specialists Ltd. (SSL) is pleased to announce the addition of the following New Members to their snowsports retail buying group. Read more… World champion skier, Daron Rahlves is the latest Ambassador for Learn to Ski and Snowboard Month (LSSM), the national initiative that encourages children and adults to get involved with skiing and snowboarding by taking lessons from professional instructors. Learn more... Dakine has decided to broaden its base from the accessories market, and is about to throw its gloves into the outerwear ring. Read more… Spyder Active Sports is partnering with Copper Mountain Resort as its primary mountain base in a three-year deal signed this week. Read more… Buckman's Grand Opening Event: On Friday, October 14th over 600 people went to Buckman’s Ski and Snowboard Shop in Whitehall, PA to meet their favorite ski and snowboard celebrities. Read more… Best homecoming date ever: Lindsey Vonn attends high school homecoming dance. Read more… Triple Play Pass offers skiing at Aspen, Steamboat and Winter Park. Learn more.

The Salomon Store is committed to celebrating the mountains and since opening their first Vancouver location a month ago the brand has stayed true to that mandate. A percentage of sales from the October 6 grand opening went towards benefitting the North Shore Search and Rescue. Learn more… Fallen and 686's outerwear collaboration is hitting stores right now, and this partnership between one of skate and one of snow’s most influential owner/operators is definitely grabbing sales and attention. Learn more... Black Diamond Equipment has hired Brian Mecham as director of North America sales. Mecham returns to Black Diamond, where he worked as a sales representative from 1997 to 2001,having most recently been employed by Patagonia as western regional sales manager. Read more… Southern California’s closest resort, Mount High, is in officially in operation. Read more… Keystone Resort is the latest Colorado ski resort to get their ski season underway. Learn more… Quiksilver announced today that it is promoting Craig Stevenson, formerly America’s region president, to global brand president and COO of Quiksilver Inc. Read more… Linda Rodney will take on the role of national sales director at Aspen, Colo.-based Sport Obermeyer. Read more…Arc’teryx Equipment Inc. is proud to announce the company has received the BC Export Award in the Consumer Products category. Learn more…Some of the world’s top urban riders will make their way to Tokyo, Japan for the debut competition, Burton Rail Days. Read more.

Send us your news, press releases and stories to PR@snowsports.org, SnowSports Industries America.

Please feel free to forward this message to anyone who is interested in the growth and further development of the snow sports industry, and continue to do your part. Let it Snow!

The SIA Newsletter is sponsored by

<< back