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Outdoor Industry Trailblazers
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Industry Trailblazers: Peter Noone, outdoor retail pioneer
Nov 17, 2008 Unlike so many of the ’70s trailblazers, Peter Noone’s career in the outdoor business has had few twists and turns. In fact, his career path has been fairly straightforward: 45 years specializing in outdoor retail with only two employers. His outdoor retail career began when, as a 21-year-old skier and climber, he went “looking for a much-needed summer job in 1968.” He walked into The Ski Hut store on Berkeley’s University Avenue and was hired by Allen Steck for $2 an hour. Read Story | Comment on this story | Go to all Outdoor Industry Trailblazers articles |
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Industry Trailblazers: Paul Kramer, creator of the clip system for tents
Nov 12, 2008 A member of the outdoor industry since 1970 with Sierra Designs, Paul Kramer's path to design fame began with office politics. “The company was in a sales slump and I was making a bit of noise about the direction product was going. So a couple of management people who wanted me out said, ‘Why don’t we put Paul into design?’ They figured since I knew very little about it that I’d fail and get fired.” What they didn’t know was that Kramer, via his retail background, had a great feel for what customers wanted. Using that knowledge, he set about designing a line of synthetic-fill sleeping bags. They were a hit, and within six months, Kramer was named director of design. Read Story | Comment on this story | Go to all Outdoor Industry Trailblazers articles |
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Industry Trailblazers: Bill Nicolai, founder of Early Winters
Aug 1, 2008 Two weeks prior to his graduation from the University of Washington in 1968, Bill Nicolai said he dropped out, thinking, “If I didn’t graduate, I’d avoid becoming a businessman and, therefore, live an unconventional life." As the founder of Early Winters, a whimsical catalog for outdoor adventurers around the world that once featured a mini-submarine for sale. Read Story | Comment on this story | Go to all Outdoor Industry Trailblazers articles |
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Industry Trailblazers: Guntram Jordan parlays a carpentry job into an outdoor industry career
Aug 1, 2008 On graduating in June 1974 with a degree in philosophy of language, Guntram Jordan went looking for a job. “I was walking along University Avenue in Berkeley when I spotted carpenters working on a new retail store. I asked if they were hiring and next thing I knew, I was working as a carpenter and general gofer for Granite Stairway Mountaineering.” Read Story | Comment on this story | Go to all Outdoor Industry Trailblazers articles |
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Industry Trailblazers: Jim and Greg Thomsen, founders of Wilderness Experience
Aug 1, 2008 As children, Jim and Greg Thomsen spent summers with their father in Mammoth Lakes, Calif., where they grew to love the mountains. By 1965, they were backpacking on their own all over California’s Sierra. “In 1967, we both started climbing,” Jim said, “and a year later, I was working at Kelty Pack making packs as well as working in the retail shop at the production facility when my wife, Laurie, got this idea to start a program to take kids into the mountains and teach them climbing, backpacking and cross-country skiing. Laurie, Greg and I decided to call the venture Wilderness Experience.” Read Story | Comment on this story | Go to all Outdoor Industry Trailblazers articles |
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SNEWS Historical Archives
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SNEWS outdoor industry news 25 years ago in June 1984
Jun 12, 2009 We continue our celebration of looking back at what was new and hot to SNEWS® and the outdoor industry 25 years ago this month, bringing you this look at June 1984. Printed on gray paper, this issue of SNEWS launched the very first SNEWS retailer survey. In addition, there is a very interesting interview with Jeff Lowe on the launch of his new company, Latok. Read Story | Comment on this story | Go to all SNEWS Historical Archives articles |
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SNEWS outdoor industry news 25 years ago in May 1984
May 18, 2009 Continuing with our celebration mode looking back at what was new and hot to SNEWS® and the outdoor industry 25 years ago this month, we bring you our look at May 1984. Printed on green paper, this issue of SNEWS contained a very intriguing interview with Jim Reyen, an employee of Johnson Camping since 1964 and at the time of the interview, president of the company. Read Story | Comment on this story | Go to all SNEWS Historical Archives articles |
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SNEWS celebrates 25 years of covering outdoor industry news with April 1984 retrospective
May 4, 2009 Seems not all that long ago, and yet it was February 1984 that SNEWS launched its first issue. And yes, we are in celebration mode and scrambling to catch up a bit so we can present the month of history from 1984 during the corresponding month in 2009 – look for May later this week. Today, we're on to April 1984, and what a time it was. Read Story | Comment on this story | Go to all SNEWS Historical Archives articles |
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SNEWS® continues celebration of 25 years with a look back at March 1984
Apr 24, 2009 Officially, SNEWS launched its first publication in February 1984. And yes, we are in celebration mode and scrambling to catch up a bit so we can present the month of history from 1984 during the corresponding month in 2009. Today, we’re on to March 1984, and what a time it was. Printed on yellow paper, this issue of SNEWS contained one-on-one interviews with Skip Yowell of JanSport and Gordon McFadden, then of Helly Hansen. We also noted that video training... Read Story | Comment on this story | Go to all SNEWS Historical Archives articles |
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SNEWS® begins a celebration of 25 years of covering outdoor industry news
Apr 20, 2009 We thought the members of our ever-growing SNEWS family might enjoy a look back as we ramp up to celebrate our 25 years of being a part of your lives. In July, look for a very exciting SNEWS Summer Outdoor magazine 25th Anniversary issue, both in print and in an elaborately interactive digital magazine format. To gear up, the SNEWS team starting now will take a peek back in an occasional series at the outdoor industry’s history as reported in the archived pages of SNEWS, starting with the first-ever issue in February 1984. Read Story | Comment on this story | Go to all SNEWS Historical Archives articles |
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Woodchucks
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Woodchuck Tales: Kay Henry launches a company because she wanted more fun
In the late 60’s canoes were either made of aluminum (Grumman) or flat bottomed, heavy fiberglass (Old Town). Performance designs were non-existent. The Mad River Canoe company was born from a personal desire for a fun boat to paddle – starting with a hull shape that incorporated a shallow V, so you could lean the boat to turn (like skiing) yet it would track well and was faster in flat water. Read Story | Comment on this story | Go to all Woodchucks articles |
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Woodchuck Tales: Bob Matheson finds his calling while waiting for a ‘real’ job
Bob Matheson, General Manager, Mountain Equipment Co-op -- Like pretty much everyone I know in outdoor industry I fell into the job while waiting to get a "real" job. I was signed up to join the military but I had lost my required birth certificate and needed some cash while I waited for its replacement. It was 1977 and I was a pretty avid Nordic skier at the time and thought "hey, it’d be cool to get a job talking about ski stuff; while I wait". I applied at a few places but the only place that said yes was a store called "Collegiate Sports". Read Story | Comment on this story | Go to all Woodchucks articles |
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Calling all Woodchucks
History can be a wonderful thing. It carries with it the lessons of yesterday and the foundation for tomorrow. And no history is complete without a recounting and recognizing of the people and pioneers who helped forge the stories that fill those history books. Back in the early 1990s, outdoor industry veteran Larry Harrison decided it was time to ensure the stories of those pioneers who were integral in the establishment and growth of what we now know as the outdoor industry were not forgotten. So, he began to bestow an honor upon anyone who had been in the outdoor industry for 20 years or more and was willing to fill out a questionnaire ensuring the names and records were recorded for posterity. Each recipient of the honor received a pin, bearing the visage of the logo you see to the right. Wearers of this pin are members of a cadre of individuals proud to call themselves Woodchucks. Read Story | Comment on this story | Go to all Woodchucks articles |
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iFitness Belts Oct 17, 2011 The iFitness belts SNEWS recently tested are great for runners who like to carry gadgets, keys and snacks with them. Read Review | Comment on this review | Go to all Product Reviews |
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Fitnex E55SG Elliptical Sep 14, 2011 So many ellipticals can be large and pricy, and the though the smaller ones may have a lower price tag, what they give up to get there makes for a more wobbly ride that’s not as much fun. The Fitnex E55SG elliptical manages to be rather petite but still can hold its own when a user pushes it hard. Read Review | Comment on this review | Go to all Product Reviews |
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International Accounts Manager - Customer Service - Marmot Mountain, LLC
Listed - 12/22/2011
Finished Goods Coordinator - Spyder Active Sports
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Advertising Sales - Big Earth Publishing
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Bicycle Store Manager - Seattle Area - Veloce Velo
Listed - 12/17/2011
Client Services Rep - SmartEtailing.com
Listed - 12/17/2011
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Grassroots Outdoor Alliance Welcomes Icebreaker as a Vendor Partner
Dec 22, 2011
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Jetboil Expands Management Team
Dec 22, 2011
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Switch Vision Joins 2012 East Coast Adventure Racing Series
Dec 22, 2011
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BioLogic Helps Social Networking Cyclists Track Data on the Go
Dec 21, 2011
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Liberty Mountain Joins Grassroots Outdoor Alliance as Vendor Partner
Dec 21, 2011
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National Ski Patrol makes branding move to unify divisions and patrols
Dec 21, 2011
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Dec 22, 2011
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Jetboil Expands Management Team
Dec 22, 2011
Read story | Post a release | Go to all Industry Releases
Switch Vision Joins 2012 East Coast Adventure Racing Series
Dec 22, 2011
Read story | Post a release | Go to all Industry Releases
BioLogic Helps Social Networking Cyclists Track Data on the Go
Dec 21, 2011
Read story | Post a release | Go to all Industry Releases
Liberty Mountain Joins Grassroots Outdoor Alliance as Vendor Partner
Dec 21, 2011
Read story | Post a release | Go to all Industry Releases
National Ski Patrol makes branding move to unify divisions and patrols
Dec 21, 2011
Read story | Post a release | Go to all Industry Releases
Mountain travel bookings continue uphill surge
Dec 22, 2011
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Gramicci leverages Haggar to lower prices on fall 2012 products, predicts consumers will reduce spending
Dec 21, 2011
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Outdoor: Movin' & Shakin' - Igloo names a new president; plus new hires at Backcountry.com, Leisure Trends, Mountain Hardwear, American Rec and more ...
Dec 19, 2011
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Dec 22, 2011
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Gramicci leverages Haggar to lower prices on fall 2012 products, predicts consumers will reduce spending
Dec 21, 2011
Read Story | Comment on this story | Go to all Outdoor Headlines
Outdoor: Movin' & Shakin' - Igloo names a new president; plus new hires at Backcountry.com, Leisure Trends, Mountain Hardwear, American Rec and more ...
Dec 19, 2011
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"Bill & Jane Ehmke " by Rick Howell (12/23/2011 08:09 MST)
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"the SNEWS Lady " by theodore jr szoch (12/23/2011 08:01 MST)
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"the SNEWS Lady " by theodore jr szoch (12/23/2011 08:01 MST)
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Merchandising Tour: Set up your booth and grab a beer while everyone else is still hard at work
Dec 9, 2011
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The Merchandising Doctor gives Boulder Running Company royal sock treatment
Nov 16, 2011
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How to Sell: Insulation
Nov 9, 2011
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Dec 9, 2011
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The Merchandising Doctor gives Boulder Running Company royal sock treatment
Nov 16, 2011
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How to Sell: Insulation
Nov 9, 2011
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Outdoor Research wants to protect from cold and dry, not just chilly and wet
Nov 18, 2011
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Nov 18, 2011
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