Type: OIA Press Room

Change agents, educators, researchers, advocates, and business experts to catalyze emerging leaders and innovators in the outdoor industry 

BOULDER, CO (April 27, 2023) – A member-led collective and the outdoor industry’s catalyst for meaningful change, Outdoor Industry Association (OIA) today announced that it will present an inspiring lineup of education sessions and connection opportunities at the Outdoor Retailer Summer show in Salt Lake City, Utah, June 19 -21, 2023.  

Showcasing experts in their field, OIA education sessions will address critical and intersectional topics including business innovation, sustainability, advocacy, market trends, risk mitigation, and diversity, equity, and inclusion. Attendees can also engage in interactive workshops and roundtables to learn from OIA experts and discuss best practices with their peers. As a trusted, and seasoned source of guidance and expertise, OIA will deliver education that reflects what outdoor businesses need to thrive in an ever-changing economic, political, and social landscape. 

“Our goal with the OIA education sessions at Outdoor Retailer is to reflect the most pressing issues facing the industry so businesses can apply expert guidance, proven solutions, and new skills to confidently evolve with the pace of the industry,” said OIA President, Kent Ebersole. “Innovation starts with knowledge and these educational opportunities are just one of the many catalysts for positive change that OIA is delivering to the outdoor industry.”  

Will Akuna Robinson, a Triple Crown thru-hiker and community advocate, will kick off Outdoor Retailer Summer during the OIA Industry Breakfast. Fueled by a desire for real connection, community, and healing from the PTSD of military service, Robinson will share invaluable personal wisdom from the trail and how individuals and businesses can lean into the call to understand and address inequity and the socio-economic barriers to outdoor recreation. 

To help business leaders better understand the markets and people they serve, OIA will unveil high-level findings and insights from the 2023 Outdoor Participation Trends Report, providing attendees with a comprehensive and timely view of the changing outdoor participant base. OIA Research Director Kelly Davis will reveal the latest trends in outdoor recreation participation, including how many consumers are participating in outdoor recreation, what categories are the growing fastest, what activities are most popular, and frequency. 

Attendees will also hear directly from experts who are partnering with outdoor industry companies, agencies, and nonprofits to help build the pipeline for the future outdoor industry workforce and learn how it applies to their HR and business needs. Experts from the University of New Hampshire, Weber State, and the Center for Applied Special Technology (C.A.S.T.) will share how the outdoor industry is impacting rural learners, science, technology, engineering, and math (S.T.E.M.) opportunities, and local economic development. 

In support of the industry’s goal to become climate positive by 2030, OIA will deliver sustainability education sessions that help attendees learn fast to apply realistic and proven solutions on a myriad of topics, including decarbonization, measurement, and harder-to-reach supply chain emissions. Leaders from OIA’s Climate Action Corps, Higg, and Climate Neutral will share best practices and opportunities for precompetitive collaboration to get ahead of sustainability challenges that impact product quality and customer satisfaction. 

OIA will unveil its new industry-wide program, the Clean Chemistry and Materials Coalition, during an interactive education session with OIA chemicals experts, legislative advisors, and sustainability marketing leaders from Compose[d]. Attendees will learn how OIA’s consulting service and working group can help outdoor companies balance financial and product management risks with new and existing sustainability legislation while retaining customer loyalty and demand for sustainably made products. Speakers will walk attendees through strategies to achieve PFAS phase-out, meet compliance standards, and share how outdoor companies can swiftly engage on solutions for hard and soft good phase-out. 

“Underpinning all the work OIA does to catalyze growth and change within our industry is our commitment to inclusion. Whether you’re a startup business with a great new idea or a recent graduate pursuing a career in the outdoors, we’re excited to connect with you. OIA is here to help you harness the passion and creativity of this industry to ensure we grow sustainably, and we create opportunities for everyone,” added Ebersole.  

To view the complete lineup of OIA educational opportunities at this summer’s Outdoor Retailer show, visit OIA’s website. 

  

About Outdoor Industry Association 

Based in Boulder, Colo., with offices in Washington, D.C., Outdoor Industry Association (OIA) is the leading trade association for the outdoor industry. For more than 30 years, OIA has served as the trusted convenor, resource, and voice of the outdoor industry. OIA unites and serves manufacturers, suppliers, sales representatives, and retailer members through its focus on trade and recreation policy, sustainable business innovation, and outdoor participation. The association provides its members with insights, advocacy, and opportunities for action that support the long-term success of outdoor businesses and ensure the outdoor experience for all.  For more information, visit outdoorindustry.org 

BOULDER, Colo. – Outdoor Industry Association (OIA) President Kent Ebersole today announced U.S. Representative Adrian Smith, R-NE, chair of the Trade Subcommittee of the House Ways and Means Committee, as a recipient of OIA’s Friend of the Industry Award.

“Rep. Smith is a long-time champion of the outdoor economy and OIA’s balanced trade agenda. He led the effort to add travel goods to the Generalized System of Preferences (GSP), resulting in $300 million in duty savings annually for outdoor companies and a $5 billion shift of trade out of China. We look forward to continuing to work with him as a leader in the effort to renew GSP and pass a package of miscellaneous tariff bills (MTBs) to support the bottom line of outdoor companies, local businesses, and American communities.”

“I’m honored to receive this award. A strong outdoor industry needs sound trade policy to level the playing field and compete fairly in the global marketplace. We must continue to aggressively pursue American interests to the benefit of businesses, manufacturers, and consumers alike,” said Rep. Smith.

The Friend of the Outdoor Industry Award is awarded to members of Congress in recognition of their legislative leadership on outdoor recreation issues, protecting public lands and waterways, and supporting the $862 billion outdoor industry and its 4.5 million employees.

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About the Outdoor Industry Association

Based in Boulder, Colo., with offices in Washington, D.C., Outdoor Industry Association (OIA) is the leading trade association for the outdoor industry. For more than 30 years, OIA has served as the trusted convenor, resource, and voice of the outdoor industry. OIA unites and serves manufacturers, suppliers, sales representatives, and retailer members through its focus on trade and recreation policy, sustainable business innovation, and outdoor participation. The association provides its members with insights, advocacy, and opportunities for action that support the long-term success of outdoor businesses and ensure the outdoor experience for all.  For more information, visit outdoorindustry.org.

 BOULDER, Colo. – Outdoor Industry Association (OIA) President Kent Ebersole today announced U.S. Senator Joe Manchin, D-WV, chairman of the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, as a recipient of OIA’s Friend of the Industry Award.

“Senator Manchin played an instrumental role in the passage of the Inflation Reduction Act’s $369 billion in new funding for climate solutions and infrastructure. Additionally, his sponsorship of the ‘America’s Outdoor Recreation Act’ – the most comprehensive outdoor recreation package since the Kennedy administration – is instrumental for the future of our industry and access to our public lands and waterways for the record number of outdoor participants. We are grateful for Sen. Manchin’s work to sustain and support outdoor recreation opportunities.”

“It is an honor to accept this award from the Outdoor Industry Association,” Senator Manchin said. “OIA has a strong history of advocating for America’s public lands and our beautiful outdoor spaces. As an avid outdoorsmen and son of Wild and Wonderful West Virginia, some of my proudest moments in Congress have been working to protect and conserve the American traditions of hunting, fishing, hiking and more. I look forward to continuing to work with OIA to ensure that future generations are able to enjoy and fall in love with the great outdoors as we all have.”

The Friend of the Outdoor Industry Award is awarded to members of Congress in recognition of their legislative leadership on outdoor recreation issues, protecting public lands and waterways, and supporting the $862 billion outdoor industry and its 4.5 million employees.

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About the Outdoor Industry Association

Based in Boulder, Colo., with offices in Washington, D.C., Outdoor Industry Association (OIA) is the leading trade association for the outdoor industry. For more than 30 years, OIA has served as the trusted convenor, resource, and voice of the outdoor industry. OIA unites and serves manufacturers, suppliers, sales representatives, and retailer members through its focus on trade and recreation policy, sustainable business innovation, and outdoor participation. The association provides its members with insights, advocacy, and opportunities for action that support the long-term success of outdoor businesses and ensure the outdoor experience for all.  For more information, visit outdoorindustry.org.

BOULDER, Colo. – Outdoor Industry Association (OIA) President Kent Ebersole today announced U.S. Representative Nanette Barragán, D-CA, chair of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus and the co-chair of the United for Climate and Environmental Justice Congressional Task Force, as a recipient of OIA’s Friend of the Industry Award.

“Rep. Barragán is dedicated to protecting our public lands and waters and investing in initiatives to expand access to the outdoors for all Americans – regardless of zip code. A tremendous champion for equitable access and opportunity, she is a lead sponsor of the ‘Outdoors for All Act,’ which is designed to provide much-needed funding for urban green spaces. We are grateful for her work to raise awareness about this important issue and look forward to working together with her to protect America’s great outdoors.”

“I am honored to receive the Friend of Industry award from the Outdoor Industry Association. OIA’s work to support outdoor access and park equity for communities of color and low-income communities is critical for the health and well-being of our communities, and the environment. I look forward to our continued efforts to pass the Outdoors for All Act, fight climate change, and close the nature equity gap in Latino communities and communities of color,” said Rep. Barragán.

The Friend of the Outdoor Industry Award is awarded to members of Congress in recognition of their legislative leadership on outdoor recreation issues, protecting public lands and waterways, and supporting the $862 billion outdoor industry and its 4.5 million employees.

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About the Outdoor Industry Association

Based in Boulder, Colo., with offices in Washington, D.C., Outdoor Industry Association (OIA) is the leading trade association for the outdoor industry. For more than 30 years, OIA has served as the trusted convenor, resource, and voice of the outdoor industry. OIA unites and serves manufacturers, suppliers, sales representatives, and retailer members through its focus on trade and recreation policy, sustainable business innovation, and outdoor participation. The association provides its members with insights, advocacy, and opportunities for action that support the long-term success of outdoor businesses and ensure the outdoor experience for all.  For more information, visit outdoorindustry.org.

Summit agenda outlines industry support for vital legislation to drive innovation, job growth, outdoor recreation, and climate action.

BOULDER, COLO [April 17, 2023] — A member-led collective and the outdoor industry’s catalyst for meaningful change, Outdoor Industry Association (OIA) will gather in our nation’s capital April 18-19, 2023, to galvanize outdoor industry leaders, policymakers, and elected officials to advocate for critical issues facing the outdoor economy, outdoor participation, and the planet.

During the two-day event, attendees will meet directly with members of Congress and other administration officials to discuss critical legislation that supports the entirety of the outdoor recreation economy, including key topics like trade, climate, access, and equity. Speakers at Capitol Summit include Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland, USDA Under Secretary for Rural Development Xochitl Torres-Small, and more.

“This is an extraordinary opportunity for the outdoor industry to be heard,” said Kent Ebersole, President of OIA. “Since our last Capitol Summit in 2019, more than 10 million Americans participated in outdoor recreation for the first time, or for the first time in years. This increase in the number of people spending time outside was not a moment in time for managing stress from lockdown during a global pandemic. We witnessed a multi-generational mind shift around the physical, mental, and emotional health benefits of spending time in nature, as over half of the U.S. population flocked to the outdoors. This massive spike in participation led to greater spending within the outdoor recreation economy, to a whopping $862 billion in 2021, accounting for 1.9 percent of GDP and a record-breaking 4.5 million jobs in the U.S.” said Ebersole.

Throughout the OIA Capitol Summit, industry leaders will urge Congress to pass America’s Outdoor Recreation Act, the largest comprehensive package of recreation bills in a generation that helps ensure that the outdoors are open and accessible to all Americans. Attendees will also work to fuel the innovation and job growth of outdoor businesses by supporting the passing of a package of miscellaneous tariff bills (MTBs) and renewing the Generalized System of Preferences (GSP).

Continuing to fight on behalf of the planet and the natural landscapes which so many outdoor activities are dependent upon, Capitol Summit attendees will advocate for greater climate action, conservation, and sustainable economic growth while also showing support for state-based offices of outdoor recreation and increased investments in the outdoors at the state and local levels.

As part of the Capitol Summit, OIA will present The Friend of the Outdoor Industry Award to members of Congress in recognition of their legislative leadership around outdoor recreation and their dedication to supporting the outdoor industry. This year, The Friend of the Outdoor Industry Award will be presented to Senator Joe Manchin (D-WV), Representative Adrian Smith (R-NE), and Representative Nanette Barragán (D-CA).

OIA will also host the Thrive Outside Community Gathering, an event centered around outdoor access, equity, and inclusion at Anacostia Park. Hosted by Friends of Anacostia Park, Outdoor Industry Association, and Outdoor Foundation, the event will highlight how the outdoor industry and community organizations are working together to erode the barriers to outdoor access through a collective impact model.

“The OIA Capitol Summit is not simply a two-day long convening to talk policy with elected officials. It’s a time for the outdoor industry to get together, to be reminded of our common goals and values, and to get inspired to kick off a year of activation and advocacy across the federal and state levels. More than ever, with urgency and swift action, OIA is committed to using our “outside voice” to advocate for balanced trade policy; sustainable business solutions; and expanded, safe access to the outdoors for this generation and many more to come,” added Ebersole.

 

About the Outdoor Industry Association

Based in Boulder, Colo., with offices in Washington, D.C., Outdoor Industry Association (OIA) is the leading trade association for the outdoor industry. For more than 30 years, OIA has served as the trusted convenor, resource, and voice of the outdoor industry. OIA unites and serves manufacturers, suppliers, sales representatives, and retailer members through its focus on trade and recreation policy, sustainable business innovation, and outdoor participation. The association provides its members with insights, advocacy, and opportunities for action that support the long-term success of outdoor businesses and ensure the outdoor experience for all.  For more information, visit outdoorindustry.org