Fall - InsideOutdoor Magazine

Rep moves and news
Interbike announced that is
considering sponsoring the formation
of a non-profit sales representative
association. The association’s goal would
be to provide both independent and
factory reps deep discounts on hotels,
office supplies, cell phone services,
health insurance and other business
related services. In addition, the
association would host an online bulletin
board linking manufacturers and reps
looking for representation.
“Reps’ costs of doing business have
continued to increase, but commissions
have generally remained flat or gone
down,” said Pat Hus, Interbike’s
managing director. “We are looking to
help start an association that can deliver
meaningful discounts and benefits with
very low annual dues.”
Hus started his my career as an
independent rep in southern California
in 1983.
“I’ve discussed the concept with lots
of reps over the years about the ‘what
ifs’ of a rep association,” continued
Hus. “There is universal agreement that
the collective bargaining power of an
association would help immensely. It
could help independent and factory reps
save significant money on every single
expense report. I am excited about
presenting the details of our vision to as
many reps as possible.”
Sean Meredith of Meredith
Outdoors will now be representing
Granite Gear in the South Central
region of the U.Ss, including Arkansas,
Louisiana, Missouri and Texas. Meredith’s
background in the outdoor industry
includes working for a major retailer in
the territory. He can be reached at sean@
meredithoutdoors.com.
Custom footbead provider
Footbalance has entered a partnership
with Rincon Group, the independent
sales team of Bobbi Bensman and
Steve Srednick, to represent Rocky
Mountain region within the specialty
athletic and outdoor retail markets.
Bensman and Srednick are well
established among outdoor dealers,
representing top-selling brands including
Salomon USA, Mammut Sports Group
and Darn Tough Vermont. The married
couple lives in Boulder, Colo., with their
two daughters.
Point6 has signed up two sales
groups to represent its U.S.-made,
premium merino wool socks in the
Northwest and North Central regions.
Tokul Creek Marketing, led by Paul
Dukich, will service the Northwest
(Washington, Oregon, Montana, Idaho
and Alaska), while Kevin Streeter will
take over the North Central region
(Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, North Dakota,
South Dakota and Nebraska). The
team at Tokul includes Lawrence Jobe
and Brandon Gough, who represent
several brands including Dynafit ski
boots and Patagonia footwear. Streeter
has worked with top brands including
Mountain Hardwear and SmartWool
and recently received Rep of the Year
distinction from Timbuk2.
Ryan Erickson has been named as
Teva’s new vice president of domestic
sales. Erickson has 19 years of footwear
industry experience, primarily in sales
management, having held director
of sales and key account executive
positions at The Rockport Company
and Canadian sales manager and key
account executive positions at The
Timberland Company. He also served
as brand marketing manager for
Reebok International. In 2007, Erickson
founded The Wapsie Group LLC, an
independent sales agency based in
Madison, Wisconsin, which represents
Teva throughout the Upper Midwest.
The Wapsie Group was named Teva’s
Agency of the Year in 2008 and Erickson
was named Teva’s Key Account Rep of
the Year in 2010. Erickson will work with
Teva’s management team to coordinate
the transition of his Upper Midwest
Territory as he assumes his new role.
Nick Pachmayer of NJP &
Associates has received Nordica’s
2011 Sales Rep of the Year Award.
Honored for an unprecedented year of
sell-in and sell-thru successes in both
ski and boot categories, Pachmayer
ultimately took home the award for his
ability to significantly increase Nordica’s
ski presence in the Midwest – nearly
equaling the company’s robust boot
business in the region. Along with
Nordica skis and boots, Pachmayer and
NJP & Associates also represents Kombi
gloves, knitwear and headwear, Uvex
goggles, helmets and eyewear, Select
Sport bags, and Eurosock.
Sport Obermeyer has put its
Southeast territory under veteran
sales representative Greg Morrison,
who was already responsible for
the company’s Mid-Atlantic territory.
Morrison has been working with Aspen,
Colo-based Obermeyer for seven years.
Head of his own Morrison Sports
Marketing, LLC, Morrison is based
in Maryland and will report to the
company’s founder, Klaus Obermeyer.
Morrison and his team also represent
outdoor brands including Giro, Seirus
and Fox River.
As a result of its development of
a four-season offering with closed toe
footwear, Chaco has hired a new group of
experienced and respected sales agencies
to represent the brand across the United
States. The following agencies will now
represent Chaco: Mountain Source
(Rockies); Yukon Trading Company
(Northwest); Outdoor Resources Group
(Mid Atlantic); Outdoor Sports Marketing
(Southeast); Sullivan-Bishop Agency
(South Central); Waypoint Sales and
Training (Great Lakes); Jim Holton Sales
Group Ltd. (Midwest); and Up East Sales
(Northeast). Agencies for the Western
territory are expected to be named shortly.
Ski specialty brand Powderhorn has
added the Turner Agency to its sales
force to represent the all-important
Rocky Mountain region. Owner Morgan
Turner has been in Colorado as a sales
rep for hard goods, soft goods and
accessories for more than 20 years with
a focus on accessories the last 15 years.
He has served as president and on the
board of directors for WWSRA during
those years. Turner will be joined in his
12 | InsideOutdoor | Fall 2011