SIA Announces Regional Rep of the Year Winners

SnowSports Industries America (SIA) announced the winners of the 2009 SIA U.S. SnowSports Regional Rep of the Year Award. In its fourth year since inception, this award recognizes those sales reps in the snow sports industry that have successfully cultivated and furthered relationships with the retailer to increase sales of snow sports products.

SIA received nearly 900 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 year the Rep of the Year Awards will be given out during the 2010 SIA Snow Show in Denver, CO, January 28-31, 2009. Each winner will receive an award to recognize their commitment to the industry, as well as a one year SIA Rep Membership and $150 American Express Gift Card.  The winners are:

Region:  Northeast (ME/ VT/ NH/ MA/ RI/ CT)
Winner:  Chad Waters

Region:  Atlantic (NY/ PA/ NJ/ DE/ MD)
Winner:  Kent Fried

Region:  Eastern Lakes (MI/ OH/ IN)
Winner:  Tim Parker

Region:  South (WV/ VA/ KY/ TN/ NC/ SC/ GA/ AL/ MS/ FL/ AR/ LA)
Winner:  Mike Lamb

Region:  Midwest (ND/ MN/ WI/ SD/ IA/ IL/ NE/ MO/ KS/ OK)
Winner:  Tom Blair

Region:  Rockies (WY/ UT/ CO/ NM/ TX)
Winner:  Jeff Braun

Region:  Northwest (WA/ OR/ ID/ MT/ AK)
Winner:  Dane Stevenson

Region:  Northern CA
Winner:  Josh Hoyer

Region:  West (Southern CA/NV/ AZ/ HI)
Winner:  Mike Day

Voting for the regional rep award began in September with surveys sent out to nearly 10,000 US retailers.  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.   

The SIA U.S. SnowSports Regional Rep of the Year award is part of the overall awards program that SIA has continued to build over the past several years.  Other awards in the program include: the Canadian SnowSports Rep of the Year, U.S. SnowSports Retailer of the Year, Canadian Retailer of the Year and Supplier of the Year awards.