SIA Board Selects Burton Executive as Next President

The Snowsports Industries America board of directors has selected a  marketing executive who helped grow Burton Snowboard by forging partnerships with much larger consumer brands as its next president. 

Nick Sargent, who has served as vice president of global business alliance at Burton Snowboards since May 2014, will start training for the role Aug. 24 at SIA headquarters in McLean, Va. He will work alongside sitting President David Ingemie for about six months before succeeding him after the 2016 SIA Snow Show, which takes place in Denver, CO in January.

“With significant experience in snow sports and a penchant for growing the industry, Nick will be a huge asset for the organization and our partners,” said Bob Gundram, chair of SIA’s Board of Directors, and president of C3 Worldwide, which owns the Capital, Coal and Union snowboard brands.

During his 12-year career at Burton, Sargent cultivated partnerships with 3M, Fox Sports, Garmin, Mini and Peps. SIA is looking to him to use that experience to forge partnerships that will grow the industry. Prior to joining Burton, Sargent managed Adidas-Salomon’s global winter Olympic initiatives.

“A lifetime of snow sports fandom compliments his deep understanding of the business behind the snow, which is imperative to the continued progression of the representation and growth opportunities that SIA offers its members and partners,” SIA said in a statement released by its board.

SIA directors have been working on a succession plan since May 2014, when Ingemie told them he planned to step down  after 35 years at the helm. He plans to remain at SIA in the role of immediate past president and lead an archival project preserving the organization’s 60+ year history.

SIA reported revenue declined 4.7 percent to $5.93 million in 2014, when it incurred a deficit of $122,556. The non-profit took in  $4.3 million from the Snow Show – including about $2.6 million in gross profit. It earns another $1 million in annual membership dues and $531,695 from sales of its market research and other publications.