Over 50 attendees participated in the 4th Annual “Coach & Connect” program held on the first day of The Super Show. Sponsored by the Sporting Goods Agents Association and SGMA International, this complimentary event allows manufacturers, dealers and various VIP’s to share their expertise as Mentors with three round-table discussion sessions. Rusty Saunders of SportsOneSource LLC has been the facilitator since the birth of “C & C” and thanked Mentors Michael Caravati, Dixie Sporting Goods; Lou Polakoff, Polakoff Sports Sales; Jim Riebandt, SGAA Legal Counsel; Todd Vore, Sof Sole and Stuart Pase, Association Health Programs for sharing their insights and perspectives. Attendees were served food and drink, courtesy of SGMA International and The Super Show.

Immediately following the reception, the Sporting Goods Agents Association (SGAA) President, Gary Niland, Gary Niland & Associates opened the Annual Meeting for approximately 200 attending members and guests. Chuck Saul, President of E. C. Frazier & Associates Inc., Waco, Texas received “Rep of the Year” honors. New Balance was honored with the SGAA’s Manufacturers Appreciation Award while Bobby Blankenship, SE Sports Sales was recipient of the Lifetime Sales Achievement tribute.

SGAA’s COO, Lois Halinton, presented the 2005-2006 slate of new officers to the membership for voting, and unanimously inducted as President was Skip Nipper, Virgil Nipper Group, TN, who is a third generation independent sporting rep, and for the first time in SGAA’s 70 year history, a woman, Tracy Paoletti, Dynamic Performance Sales, MA, became Vice President.

Niland will remain on the SGAA Board as Immediate Past President, and any questions regarding the Association can be directed to sgaa998@aol.com.