SGB Update Outdoor
Fenix Outdoor International Appoints New CTO
The parent company of the Fjällräven, Royal Robbins, Hanwag, and Tierra brands promoted Head of Brands Business Tech and Deputy CTO Eefje Jacques to CTO, effective April 1. Current company CIO Jan Lindmark will retire on that date.
Sportsman’s Warehouse Adds Indie Board Director
Steve Becker is the new independent member of the company’s Board of Directors, effective immediately. He will serve as a member of the Board’s Nominating and Governance Committee.
KOA Expansion in Full Swing, Exceeding 510 Locations in 2023
The 20 new agreements in 2023 were said to be attributed to the KOA franchise development team’s efforts, marking a significant increase from 14 agreements in 2022.
RV Shipments Up 8.1 Percent in December, Down 36.5 Percent for 2023
Towable RVs, led by conventional travel trailers, ended the month up 11.4 percent from December 2022, while Motorhomes finished the month down 9.4 percent compared to the corresponding month in 2022 with 2,842 units.
Macy’s Shares Recover on Rumors of Another Buyout Bid
Sycamore Partners, the owner of retail brands Ann Taylor and Talbots, has been negotiating with Macy’s since December.
Nordstrom Adding Rack Location in Fort Myers, FL
The 31,000-square-foot store will be located at Bell Tower, a central shopping, dining, and entertainment complex in Fort Myers.
GearJunkie Parent Acquires Pack Hacker
Pack Hacker’s focus on travel gear reviews and buying advice is expected to complement AllGear Digital’s brand portfolio covering outdoor sports, cycling, surfing, and other outdoor pursuits.
Report: Nearly 8 of 10 Online Chargebacks Originate from Consumers, Not Fraud
Based on anonymized data obtained from Chargeflow’s merchant database, the company’s 2024 report found that 79.03 percent of chargeback cases result from friendly fraud, driving the need for businesses to adopt automated fraud detection solutions and educational initiatives.
Marine Products Corp. Sees Q4 Boat Unit Sales Sink 34 Percent
The parent of the Chaparral and Robalo boat brands said Q4 net sales came in at $70.9 million, down 35 percent from Q4 2022, primarily due to a 34 percent decrease in the number of boats sold during the quarter.
Report: Camper’s Preferences Could Mean More Business, New Employees
KOA created its 2023 Odds and Ends report to bring quirky and intriguing findings that showcase travel’s diversity and evolving nature. Many could mean more business for outdoor brands, retailers, campgrounds, and RV dealers.
Phantom Glide Expands Sales Team in U.S. and Europe
“With the launch of Phantom Glide Nordic and the strong momentum we’re seeing with Phantom Glide sales, we jumped at the opportunity to add two veteran sales managers to the team.” —Steve Kropf, Senior Vice President, Sales, Phantom Glide.
KV Capital Merges Two Powersports Brands Via Acquisition
The company anticipates merging the UTV Canada business with Mountain Sports Distribution, the full-service powersports distributor that joined the KV Capital Fund II portfolio in 2023. Financial terms were not disclosed.
Thor Industries Appoints Chief Human Resources Officer
Michele McDermott joins the company as chief human resources officer, reporting to Thor President and CEO Bob Martin.
Academy Sports and Outdoors Appoints Chief Supply Chain Officer
Rob Howell will join the company as SVP and chief supply chain officer in February 2024, reporting to President Sam Johnson. He will oversee supply chain operations, distribution centers, and domestic and international logistics.
Werner Riethmann Departs Active Management of Lowa
After more than 30 years, Werner Riethmann left active management of Lowa Sportschuh GmbH at the end of December 2023. He will remain with the Bavarian hiking and mountain boot specialist as a shareholder with a 20 percent share and in an advisory capacity.
