SnowSports Industries America announced the winners of the first-ever SIA SnowSports Regional Rep of the Year Award. This award recognizes those sales reps in the snow sports industry that have successfully fostered relationships with retail storefronts to help move winter sports products.
SIA received over 1600 nominations for this accolade from snow sports retailers in the industry nationwide. Nine regions were identified for retailers to vote for the snow sports rep they felt most deserving. “This program is part of the newly created SIA Award Program which also includes the Retailer of the Year, announced at SIA.06 and in the works for SIA.07,” stated Sara Hobbs of SIA. “We are also pleased to announce the introduction of another new award, the Canadian Rep of the Year, which will also be awarded at SIA.07.”
This years SnowSports Regional Rep of the Year winners will be recognized at the SIA Fall Education Seminars. Each winner will receive a commemorative plaque recognizing their commitment to the industry, and they are:
Region: Northeast (ME/ VT/ NH/ MA/ RI/ CT)
Winner: Peter Kidd (Dalbello/ Scott/ Blizzard/ Panoptx)
Region: Atlantic (NY/ VT/ NH/ MA/ RI/ CT)
Winner: Tom Beach (K2/ Phenix Ski)
Region: Eastern Lakes (MI/ OH/ IN)
Winner: John Kerkhof (Nordica)
Region: South (WV/ VA/ KY/ TN/ NC/ SC/ GA/ AL/ MS/ FL/ AR/ LA)
Winner: Buck Rowlee (Burton Snowboards)
Region: Mid-West (ND/ MN/ WI/ SD/ IA/ IL/ NE/ MO/ KS/ OK)
Winner: Nick Pachmayer (Nordica/ Kombi/ Uvex/ Select Sportbags)
Region: Rockies (WY/ UT/ CO/ NM/ TX)
Winner: Mike Gagliardi (Never Summer/ 686 Outerwear/ Bluebird Wax/ Drop Gloves/
Neff Headwear/ Life-Link)
Region: Northwest (WA/ OR/ ID/ MT/ AK)
Winner: Krista Maroge (Burton Snowboards)
Region: Northern California
Winner: Mike Rosen (K2/ Morrow Snowboards)
Region: West (Southern CA/ NV/ AZ/ HI)
Winner: Mike Day (Scott USA/ Turtle Fur)
Voting for the regional rep award began in late July with surveys sent out to nearly 10,000 retail storefronts. Nomination criteria focused on five main components including: relationships with retail shops; communication with retailers; proactively helping stores manage inventory; conducting shop clinics; and timely response to retail shops calls and emails. “This wonderful award is a true reflection of the awesome team that I have working with me, and they certainly help me manage the chaos,” said award recipient Buck Rowlee (Burton Snowboards).
