The National Association of Sporting Goods Wholesalers (NASGW) has appointed Mike Brown as chairman of the association’s board of directors. Brown, president and CEO of Camfour has served for the past five years on the association’s board and brings many years of experience in the outdoor sporting goods industry to his new role. Brown believes that the relevance of the NASGW has never been greater.

“The time in which we live is a period of globalization and rapid technological advancement and its role in the industry is to stay ahead of what’s changing in the world,” said Brown. “We provide our members with the intelligence they need to survive in this dynamic environment. What we’re seeing in other industries is a changing business model, and we need to know what the business model of a wholesaler and retailer is going to look like in 20 years.

Embracing the “challenge of change” has been at the forefront of the NASGW’s focus since its inception. For more
than 50 years, the association has worked to promote the common interests of the sporting goods industry, encourage
the highest standards of merchandising practices and serve as a liaison to improve communication throughout the
industry. The NASGW is comprised of wholesalers, manufacturers and independent sales representatives and now
has more than 300 member companies, which represent more than 5,000 employees.

“I am honored to take on this new position with the board of directors and look forward to effecting the same kinds of
positive changes that I’ve seen spearheaded over the years by our strong board,” said Brown. “During my tenure in
the association, I’ve been a part of a great team, which included outgoing chairman Richard Lipsey, whose
contributions have had such a major impact on the improvement of the NASGW and the strengthening of the
industry.” Today Brown sees his new role as focusing chiefly on preserving the things that the NASGW is doing well
and looking for other areas to add value – not only to the wholesalers, but the factories and their retail partners.