As SGB Media looks back at the active lifestyle industry veterans who left us in 2025, we find a list that is comprised of founders, those described as pioneers, entrepreneurs in fitness and golf spaces, and key people serving in buying groups and trade associations, ranging in age from a far-too-young 41 to 97 years.
Join us in fondly remembering our friends, colleagues and influencers we lost this year.
- Brick Bodies CEO Vicki Brick-Zupancic, 43
When faced with the challenges of a Stage 3 ovarian cancer diagnosis in 2021 at the age of 40, Vicki drew upon her courage, her tenacity and her family to tackle cancer with a fighting spirit. - Ron Jon Surf Shop Founder Ron DiMenna, 88
Ron DiMenna, the founder of Ron Jon Surf Shop, passed away at the age of 88. DiMenna started the business in 1959 by selling surfboards from his car in New Jersey. - NSGA, NSSRA and Sporting Goods Industry Veteran Tom Doyle Passes Away,86
Tom Doyle died on April 22 at the age of 86. He worked at the NSGA for 39 years and was the association’s vice president of Information and Research when he retired in the fall of 2010. He was also president of the National Ski & Snowboard Retailers Association (NSSRA) from the time it was founded in 1987 until 2010. - Hodgdon Powder Company Co-Founder JB Hodgdon, 88
With his brother Bob, JB Hodgdon continued the legacy of Hodgdon Powder Company started by his father and grew the company into the preeminent supplier of gunpowder and black powder substitutes for handloading and muzzleloading enthusiasts. - Tom Mackin, Former Rapala/VMC President, 63
Tom Mackin, former president of Rapala VMC USA and longtime member of the Rapala VMC group executive committee has passed away. Tom dedicated over 30 years of his life to the Rapala brand, helping to shape its legacy with passion, integrity and visionary leadership. He had recently entered retirement. - Bike Nashbar Founder Arni Nashbar, 83
In response to what he saw as a gap in quality customer service in bike mail-order companies, he and his wife founded Bike Nashbar. At its peak, the company mailed over 14 million catalogs annually across the U.S. and Canada, employed over 350 people and shipped over 6,000 packages daily. - RTFKT’s Co-Founder Benoît Pagotto, 41
In 2020, Pagotto founded RTFKT (pronounced “artifact”) with Vasilev and Chris Le. Nike acquired RTFKT for an undisclosed sum in December 2021. By December 2024, Nike announced it would wind down RTFKT’s operations in January 2025. - Famed Golf Club Designer Richard Parente, 85
As the first president of Callaway Golf, Parente was instrumental in creating the first production-milled putters and the S2H2 designs. He pioneered the first milled driver heads and developed AVDP, a lightweight grip-and-shaft system designed for faster swinging irons and drivers. Parente has over 30 golf patents. - Buying Group Pioneer Don Pfau, 97
Throughout a long and storied life, Prau remained committed to Sports, Inc.’s success and prominence in the sporting goods industry. The group has grown to over 600 retail members from the original seven members, selling billions of dollars in sporting goods from coast to coast. - Former Nike Exec and Basketball Coaching Legend George Raveling, 88
The former Nike marketing executive and Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame member, who was credited with helping Nike sign Michael Jordan, has died at the age of 88. - Former Ross Bicycles CEO Randy Ross, 67
When he led the brand, Ross Bicycles sponsored the first professional mountain bike race team, the Ross Indians. Ross also sponsored events that helped the sport develop in the 1980s, and the company’s bike line was one of the first mass-produced mountain bikes on the market. - Stahls’ Co-Founder Brian Stahl, 78
Brian Stahl, co-founder and longtime operations leader at Stahls’, passed away on November 22 in Wilmington, NC. He was 78. As head of operations for over 30 years, his leadership helped drive many of the operational practices that became hallmarks of the Stahls’ brand. - Former TAG Buying Group Owner Trevor Swangard, 85
Trevor Swangard, who was the former president and a co-owner of the Team Athletic Goods (TAG) buying group, passed away on June 27 at age 85.
Image courtesy LSM
