Type: OIA Press Room

BOULDER, Colo. – Outdoor Industry Association (OIA) today celebrated the Senate’s passage of the bipartisan infrastructure bill:

“We are thrilled to see this historic bipartisan infrastructure bill pass the Senate and continue to gain steam,” said OIA executive director Lise Aangeenbrug. “The outdoor industry has made no secret of its strong support for this proposal. We are encouraged by its many provisions to mitigate the impacts of climate change, including wildfires, droughts, and floods; expand access to and improve our nation’s parks and trails; and enhance our natural infrastructure resources. Just as importantly, this bill will provide long overdue improvements to America’s core infrastructure – roads, bridges, ports, and airports – which will help our $778 billion industry and 5.2 million employees deliver our products to consumers and connect people with parks and green spaces.

“Although we celebrate today’s achievement, we recognize there is a tremendous amount of work ahead of us. The outdoor industry stands ready to continue working with business leaders, policymakers, and others – as we have done throughout this process – to ensure this critical legislation reaches President Biden’s desk to be signed into law. We also look forward to working with lawmakers and administration officials on the upcoming budget reconciliation bill to include additional climate solutions, such as the creation of a Civilian Climate Corps. As these negotiations proceed, we are also hopeful that Congress will act to provide additional funding for the Department of Interior aimed at mitigating wildfires, improving resilience, and combatting severe drought.”

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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. OIA unites and serves 1,200 manufacturer, supplier, sales representative and retailer members through its focus on trade and recreation policy, sustainable business innovation and outdoor participation. For more information, visit outdoorindustry.org.

BOULDER, Colo. – Today is the one-year anniversary of the bipartisan “Great American Outdoors Act” being signed into law, which authorized $900 million in annual funding for the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) and is designed to address the nearly $20 billion deferred maintenance backlog on federal public lands. The outdoor industry played a pivotal role in ensuring the historic bill was passed by Congress, and its successful implementation is a continued priority for Outdoor Industry Association and its more than 1,200 member businesses and organizations.

“The Great American Outdoors Act is laying the groundwork for a historic investment in the parks and outdoor spaces, which provides countless economic, physical, and mental health benefits to people across the country,” said OIA executive director Lise Aangeenbrug. “We are encouraged to see the law already leading to new outdoor recreation projects and public land improvements. We are committed to helping the Biden administration and Congress in their efforts to fully implement the law and help realize its economic and environmental benefits.

“One way to help achieve this goal is through a 21st Century Civilian Climate Corps (CCC) to address the federal park maintenance backlog, conduct new LWCF projects, and protect communities against droughts, wildfires, and floods. The CCC, which is currently being discussed in Congress, would also create thousands of new, well-paying jobs to boost the economic recovery.

“Additionally, more people than ever before are visiting parks and other public lands, including more women, people of diverse ethnicities, and those living in urban areas. It is critically important to continue making these investments to ensure these public lands and waterways remain accessible to all, regardless of zip code.

“As Congress and the Biden administration continue to work on additional conservation and climate legislation, we hope GAOA can provide lessons for how to create and enact new and effective laws to protect the outdoors and increase access to these amazing natural resources.”

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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. OIA unites and serves 1,200 manufacturer, supplier, sales representative and retailer members through its focus on trade and recreation policy, sustainable business innovation and outdoor participation. For more information, visit outdoorindustry.org.

Deborah Williams
Outdoor Industry Association
dwilliams@outdoorindustry.org
303-887-8354

From the future of retail to the future of the planet and an outdoors for all, the Outdoor Industry Association (OIA) will deliver robust education at Outdoor Retailer Summer

BOULDER, Colo. (August 3, 2021) — Outdoor Industry Association (OIA), the nonprofit trade association for the outdoor industry, will again deliver a full lineup of live keynote and education sessions at Outdoor Retailer Summer in Denver, August 10–12, 2021. Education will kick off with a keynote from bestselling author and founder of the global consultancy Retail Prophet, Doug Stephens, and will continue through the week. Other featured speakers will include Colorado Sen. Michael Bennet (D), Rep. Joe Neguse (D-CO-02), and Attorney General Phil Weiser.

“As we come back together in person for the first time in 18 months, our industry faces a lot of questions about what the future will look like, not only for our businesses, but also for our planet, for people who get outdoors and for future generations,” said Phyllis Grove, OIA’s board chair. “The role of the trade association is to support our members with education and programs to help them take individual and collective action on the issues that matter to our industry. Our team has curated a slate of timely and relevant panels and sessions that will help attendees navigate these unfamiliar challenges.”

Key live OIA education sessions at Outdoor Retailer Summer 2021 include the following:

OIA INDUSTRY BREAKFAST: THE THRIVING FUTURE OF RETAIL
Day 1, Tuesday, August 10, 2021, 7 a.m. (MT), Colorado Convention Center (MR 400s)
Keynote speaker Doug Stephens, a bestselling author and founder of global consultancy Retail Profit, will provide an incisive look into the future of retail in a post-COVID-19 world. The topics of changing consumer behavior and company roles, the future of physical and online retail and how global supply chains will adapt will all be tackled in his gripping talk.

THRIVING PLANET AND PEOPLE: CONFRONTING THREATS TO THE OUTDOORS: TWO VOICES FROM COLORADO AND CAPITOL HILL
Day 1, Tuesday, August 10, 2021, 11 a.m. (MT), Colorado Convention Center (MR 400s)
OIA Executive Director Lise Aangeenbrug will host a conversation with Colorado Sen. Michael Bennet and Rep. Joe Neguse about their efforts to address climate change, wildfires and land and water conservation, all while ensuring more diversity and equity in the outdoors.

THRIVING PEOPLE: PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS FOR HEALTHY YOUTH AND STRONG COMMUNITIES
Day 2, Wednesday, August 11, 2021, 11 a.m. (MT), Colorado Convention Center (MR 400s)
UnitedHealth Group donated $30 million to increase health access for underserved Colorado communities. The attorney general’s office will help direct $5 million from the fund toward organizations that provide mental health services and opportunities to youth. Outdoor Foundation Managing Director Stephanie Maez will interview Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser about how public-private partnerships can help close the equity gap and increase health outcomes through outdoor nature-based programming.

THRIVING BUSINESS: TARIFF RELIEF FOR OUTDOOR COMPANIES: HOW THE NEW TRADE LEGISLATION CAN HELP YOUR BOTTOM LINE
Day 2, Wednesday, August 11, 2021, 3:30 p.m. (MT), Colorado Convention Center (MR 400s)
Join OIA Government Affairs Director Rich Harper and outside counsel Ron Sorini to learn how your company can take advantage of tariff relief measures and how you can get involved in OIA’s trade policy work to help develop new trade initiatives.

THRIVING BUSINESS – WORKFORCE TRENDS IN THE POST-PANDEMIC ERA
Day 3, Thursday, August 12, 2021, 11 a.m. (MT), Colorado Convention Center (MR 400s)
Workforce educators and industry leaders will discuss how innovative workforce development and hiring programs, forward-thinking employee engagement strategies, cutting-edge industry research, and private-public partnerships will support individual companies and the industry at large in meeting the unique challenges and opportunities presented by the new world of work.

In addition to the live panels being offered at the trade show in August, OIA hosted a monthlong series of virtual education sessions, powered by Brandlive, including the following:

Climate Action: Ambition, Collaboration and Practical Steps to Guide Our Industry’s Path to Climate Positive

Building an Outdoors for All: How Outdoor Youth Programming Is Helping Address Equity Barriers in Communities Across the Country

Implementing 30×30: The Essential Partnership of State and Local Stakeholders

A Historic Opportunity on Climate and How Outdoor Companies Can Help

You can watch the virtual sessions on-demand.

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 and the title sponsor of Outdoor Retailer. OIA unites and serves manufacturer, supplier, sales representative and retailer members through its focus on trade and recreation policy, sustainable business innovation and outdoor participation. For more information, visit outdoorindustry.org or call 303.444.3353.

BOULDER, Colo. – Outdoor Industry Association today issued the following statement of support for the infrastructure bill introduced in the Senate:

“After months of negotiations between stakeholders in D.C. and around the country, the outdoor industry is pleased to see the introduction of this historic infrastructure deal and strongly supports efforts to pass it in the Senate,” said OIA Executive Director Lise Aangeenbrug. “The outdoor industry is an economic force, generating $778 billion in consumer spending and 5.2 million jobs. We depend on modern, reliable infrastructure to deliver our products to consumers and connect people with parks and green spaces. We were grateful to sit at the table with business, labor, and policy leaders to discuss the legislation, and we are delighted to see the legislation provides long overdue investments to upgrade our nation’s roads and bridges, electric grid, aviation capabilities, ports, parks, and natural infrastructure.

“We also strongly support the bill’s many provisions to mitigate the impacts of climate change, including the largest investment in clean energy transmission and electric vehicle infrastructure in history, federal funds to make our infrastructure more resilient to the impacts of climate change, support for planting billions of trees to advance reforestation efforts, and resources to protect communities against droughts, wildfires, and floods. Climate change is an existential threat to our industry and our way of life. We are heartened to see these commonsense solutions have been incorporated.

“In addition to climate provisions, federal investments in parks and trails are also needed. The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the importance of easily accessible green spaces, yet more than 100 million Americans still do not live within a 10-minute walk to a park. Outdoor spaces provide countless economic, mental, and physical health benefits for every community, regardless of zip code. We are encouraged to see the inclusion of parks and trails as a key part of America’s infrastructure in this bill.

“Finally, we are especially grateful to the Biden administration for giving the outdoor industry a seat at the table during these discussions. We look forward to working with our members to advance this bill and pursue more climate-forward proposals in the near future, as talks of a reconciliation package continue to ramp up.”

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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. OIA unites and serves 1,200 manufacturer, supplier, sales representative and retailer members through its focus on trade and recreation policy, sustainable business innovation and outdoor participation. For more information, visit outdoorindustry.org

Outdoor industry veteran and seasoned research leader joins OIA to drive growth and evolution of the association’s research department.

BOULDER, Colo. July 8, 2021 – Outdoor Industry Association (OIA) is pleased to announce Kelly Davis as its new director of research. Kelly has more than 25 years of experience in market research including 11 years as the director of research for SnowSports Industries America, and four years as the senior director of research for the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association. In addition, she has worked with the Cross-Country Ski Areas Association, the Winter Wildlands Alliance, and the Stand Up Paddle Industry Association.

“Our members consistently rate research and market insights as a top value of OIA membership. Kelly’s proven track record in market research and communications will be pivotal in growing our critical work in this area,” said Lise Aangeenbrug, OIA executive director. “With dramatic demographic, lifestyle and economic changes taking place as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, understanding these trends is more important than ever – informing and influencing critical outdoor programs, products and public policy decisions. We are thrilled to have Kelly joining our team to lead the development and evolution of OIA’s research efforts.”

“The outdoor space is full of opportunity right now, and I can’t wait to get back to helping industry stakeholders maximize their impact,” said Davis. “I’ve seen a lot of data that indicate the pandemic drove sharp increases in participation and sales. I am hungry to help engage and retain that new group of participants and continue to grow sales and participation across the board. This a very exciting time to be working in this space.”

Kelly focuses her work on helping industry stakeholders understand mechanisms that affect their markets, and she has been a featured speaker at industry events like Outdoor Retailer. She has helped countless outdoor brands understand and target participants more effectively, track their customers’ journeys, build clearer views of potential customers and design products. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science, Quantitative Analysis from University of Arizona and a Masters in Policy and Empirical Methods from University of Hawaii. Kelly’s passion for the industry is driven by her love of outdoor pursuits. Outside of work, she enjoys skiing, trail running, SUPing, biking, hiking, longboarding and exploring with her dogs.

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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. OIA unites and serves 1,200 manufacturer, supplier, sales representative and retailer members through its focus on trade and recreation policy, sustainable business innovation and outdoor participation. For more information, visit outdoorindustry.org.

Public sector veteran to lead OIA in achieving mission and fiscal sustainability.

BOULDER, Colo. July 8, 2021 – Outdoor Industry Association (OIA) today welcomes Arlene Charles as its new chief operating officer (COO). Previously serving as the executive director for Girls Inc. of Columbus and Phenix Russell and the COO for the YWCA of Greater Atlanta, Arlene brings over 30 years of experience in public sector leadership roles with mission-driven and government organizations, including Georgia State University Foundation, Rutgers University Foundation, Douglas College, Georgia World Congress Center Authority, and the City of Plainfield.

Arlene is a strategic leader known for facilitating enterprise-wide process and procedure improvements, elevating service delivery standards and developing internal controls that help organizations meet and exceed their double bottom line — achieving mission and fiscal sustainability. She is passionate about mission-driven organizations that advance and advocate for inclusive environments.

“Not only does Arlene bring vast finance and operations experience, her strategic vision, track record of team building and passion for OIA’s mission make her the right leader to move our organization’s important work forward,” said Lise Aangeenbrug, OIA executive director. “Her role as COO will further strengthen the work we do for our industry, driving long-term success while also keeping sight of the immediate goals.”

“This is a critical time for the outdoor industry as everyone starts to feel more comfortable venturing out, and I am extremely excited about the work that OIA is doing to help all communities and people thrive outside,” said Charles. “I believe in the collective responsibility we all have in preserving our planet for the health and enjoyment of future generations.”

Arlene earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration from Fisk University, a Master’s degree in Accountancy from Rutgers Business School, and is currently a Doctor of Public Administration Candidate (ABD) at West Chester University. Her research interests are focused on the impact of nonprofit sector collaboration and collective action on the public good. Arlene is also a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated where she is dedicated to serving the needs of her community and all mankind.

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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. OIA unites and serves 1,200 manufacturer, supplier, sales representative and retailer members through its focus on trade and recreation policy, sustainable business innovation and outdoor participation. For more information, visit outdoorindustry.org.

100 outdoor companies are pioneering a collaborative model to accelerate science-based climate action and influence policy.

BOULDER, Colo. June 29, 2020– Outdoor Industry Association’s (OIA) Climate Action Corps unveiled today its first Annual Impact Report to mark year one progress and announced an unprecedented goal to become the world’s first climate positive industry by 2030. A diverse group of more than 100 companies including Patagonia, YETI, Osprey, Dick’s Sporting Goods and REI and representing more than $25 billion in annual sales revenue have already united through the Climate Action Corps to address the threat of climate change. The Corps’ new goal seeks to aggressively reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions associated with outdoor gear and harness the power of nature to remove more carbon than its members emit –two decades ahead of Paris Agreement-aligned targets. To enable these goals, the Corps also encourages its members to advocate for robust climate policy.

“There’s no denying that climate change is an existential crisis for the outdoor industry. The question is no longer ‘what will we do about it?’ – it’s how far can we go, and who wants to join us? We want the outdoor industry to lead the charge and inspire other industries. Our efforts alone will certainly not solve the climate crisis – we need every business, government, and individual to act. With this new strategy, we’ve established a credible, practical pathway, supporting resources, and interim milestones that will guide and accelerate progress for companies no matter how far along they are on the path,” said Amy Horton, OIA senior director of sustainable business innovation.

In its inaugural year, 84% of Corps members measured the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from their owned or controlled operations (known as “scope 1 and 2 emissions”), 78% have set or are setting targets to reduce these emissions and 49% are actively reducing them through improved energy efficiency and sourcing renewable electricity in the U.S. Recognizing the GHG emissions from the value chain (known as “scope 3 emissions”) as the largest portion of a typical outdoor company’s footprint, 69% of Corps members measured, or are in the process of measuring scope 3 emissions, while 28% are taking actions to reduce this impact – a number due to grow greatly in the coming years through targeted supply chain collaborations. In addition to the guiding principles to “make better,” “run cleaner,” and “transport smarter” – the Corps encourages its members to “grow creatively” – that is, to move from business-as-usual approaches to models that increase revenue without necessarily making new gear.

“The outdoor industry is a vital contributor to local economies and communities across the U.S., and that makes it a hugely influential business voice in the push for climate policy,” said Anne Kelly, vice president of government relations at Ceres, which counts OIA as a member of its BICEP Network of business organizations advocating for better climate policy. “Ceres strongly commends the Outdoor Industry Association’s plan to be climate-positive by 2030, and we are excited to see that policy advocacy will play such a central role in that mission.”

Matt Thurston, REI’s director of sustainability and chair of OIA’s Sustainability Advisory Council highlights that collective impact in the outdoor industry is needed like never before: “Decarbonizing our industry requires changes at a scale we’ve never experienced. We need ambitious targets, bold leadership and concerted action. The good news: you’re not alone. The OIA Climate Action Corps provides the expertise and community to advance our collective efforts.”

Corps members commit to share progress annually, demonstrating accountability toward a shared industry-wide climate positive goal and emphasizing progress over perfection. The group’s working definition of “climate positive” means its members reduce their carbon footprints according to science-based targets, remove their remaining carbon emissions from the atmosphere (ideally, through nature-based projects), and advocate for robust climate policy.

Alongside announcing its 2030 climate positive goal and year one progress, today OIA also announced its first annual Path to Positive (P2P) Climate Leadership Award winners, recognizing Climate Action Corps members that demonstrated leadership in the categories of transparency, partnership, community and impact in 2020, including:

Transparency: Klean Kanteen

Partnership: Nemo Equipment and DAC

Community: Troy Jones, Specialized

Impact: Burton Snowboards

Companies interested in accelerating their progress on climate action and contributing to the industry’s climate positive ambition are invited to join the OIA Climate Action Corps by visiting outdoorindustry.org/climateaction. OIA also welcomes fellow associations interested in partnership or sharing insights and resources to reach out to climateaction@outdoorindustry.org.

Climate Action Corps
The OIA Climate Action Corps was founded in January 2020 to bring together brands, retailers, manufacturers, suppliers and supporting organizations to harness the power of collaboration to address the threat of climate change to the outdoor industry. In partnership with PeopleforBikes, the Corps unites a diverse mix of outdoor businesses of all sizes, product types and in varying stages of climate action to accelerate progress toward reducing GHG emissions, harness the power of nature to remove more carbon than we emit, and advocate for robust climate policy.

Outdoor Industry Association
Outdoor Industry Association (OIA) is the leading trade association for the outdoor industry and the title sponsor of Outdoor Retailer. OIA unites and serves 1300 manufacturer, supplier, sales representative and retailer members through its focus on trade and recreation policy, sustainable business innovation and outdoor participation. The OIA is based in Boulder, Colo., with offices in Washington, D.C. For more information, visit outdoorindustry.org.

BOULDER, Colo. – Outdoor Industry Association today applauded the Senate for passing the “Growing Climate Solutions Act,” a bipartisan bill designed to reduce barriers for farmers and ranchers to access the carbon credit market.

“The agricultural industry is an important partner in creating opportunities for hunting, fishing, and other outdoor recreation opportunities,” said OIA executive director Lise Aangeenbrug. “Combatting the growing threat of climate change requires every industry to be part of the effort. This particular legislation gives farmers, ranchers, and landowners the opportunity to be a key part of that effort by providing incentives and resources to embrace climate-smart practices and participate in the carbon credit market.

“As more landowners participate in the carbon credit market, other industries, including the outdoor industry, have the opportunity to invest in high-quality carbon removal projects to meet and exceed our own climate goal while boosting the economy. Additionally, adopting climate-smart practices will help maintain the integrity of the public land and waters surrounding farms and ranches.”

The bill now awaits consideration by the House of Representatives.

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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. OIA unites and serves 1,200 manufacturer, supplier, sales representative and retailer members through its focus on trade and recreation policy, sustainable business innovation and outdoor participation. For more information, visit outdoorindustry.org.

Outdoor Foundation 2021 Outdoor Participation Trends Report Shows Record Participation Rates and Long-Term Challenges

BOULDER, Colo. (June 22, 2021) —Outdoor Foundation today released exclusive insights about Americans’ engagement in outdoor activities in 2020, amid the COVID-19 pandemic. As detailed throughout the report, COVID-19 inspired huge participation growth, as outdoor spaces became places of refuge to safely socialize, improve physical and mental health, connect with family and recover from screen fatigue. In 2020, 53 percent of Americans ages 6 and over participated in outdoor recreation at least once, the highest participation rate on record. Remarkably, 7.1 million more Americans participated in outdoor recreation in 2020 than in the year prior. These one-year gains, however, did not fundamentally alter the long-term challenges faced by the outdoor industry. The outdoor industry and its partners are positioned to champion new ways to engage outdoor participants and invest in making the outdoors accessible and welcoming to all Americans.

“Earlier this year we saw promising research about new participants in the outdoors with more people finding solace in outdoor activities especially amid the pandemic,” said Lise Aangeenbrug, executive director of Outdoor Industry Association. “Our broader research shows us that while we are seeing millions more people getting outside this year, we must take action to help them establish a life-long relationship with the outdoors, otherwise we will continue to see an overall decline in participation rates in the next year with people returning to an indoor routine.”

Additional key findings and challenges include:

• Retaining COVID participants: Research from Outdoor Industry Association indicated that about one-quarter of new participants say they don’t want to continue their new outdoor activities, a number that may grow sharply as consumers return to pre-pandemic habits.
• Lack of diversity: Nearly 75 percent of outdoor participants were white. Participation rates declined 7 percent annually among Asian Americans for the past three years; stagnated for the last three years among Blacks and grew among Hispanics but remained well below whites.
• Declining intensity: There were fewer of the most devoted outdoor participants and more casual ones. A decade ago, 24 percent reported participating more than twice a week, while in 2020 just 20 percent did. The same pattern occurred among children, young adults and adults.
• Fewer outings: The average number of outings per participant continued a steady, long-term decline, falling from 87 in 2012 to just 71 in 2020.
• Stagnant female participation: Although there are significant industry efforts to address gender disparities, for the last eight years females have represented just 46 percent of outdoor participants, even though 51 percent of Americans are female.

“Although the long-term trends remain discouraging, there exists an incredible opportunity for all of us within the outdoor industry to welcome more participants,” said Stephanie Maez, managing director at the Outdoor Foundation. “Collective action through philanthropy, programming, marketing and policy can move the needle. Together, we can help bring individuals and entire communities outside, and inspire them to build life-long relationships with the outdoors.”

The Outdoor Foundation has developed the Outdoor Participation Trends Report for 14 years. The annual report examines demographics of the outdoor participant — defined as someone who participated in an outdoor activity at least one time in the past year. The survey reflects data gathered during the 2020 calendar year and garnered a total of 20,069 online interviews consisting of people ages six and older. View the 2021 report in full here.

About Outdoor Foundation

The Outdoor Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Outdoor Industry Association, is a national 501(C)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to getting people outside for their health, the health of communities and the health of the outdoor industry. Through community investment and groundbreaking research, the Outdoor Foundation works with many partners to get more people outside more often. Visit outdoorfoundation.org for more information.

BOULDER, Colo. (June 14, 2021) — The Outdoor Industry Association (OIA) Board of Directors annual election ended on May 28, 2021, with the association’s membership electing two new and three returning board members.

The two new directors – Toad&Co CMO Sarah Matt and Merrell CMO Janice Tennant – will begin their three-year terms in July, taking their seats at the summer board meeting. “The new directors will help guide the association to navigate the changing needs and challenges facing the industry,” stated OIA Executive Director Lise Aangeenbrug, “and into a future with thriving outdoor businesses, thriving outdoor communities and a thriving planet.”

The three returning directors will commence their second elected three-year terms at the July board meeting: BioLite CEO and Co-founder Jonathan Cedar, Helen of Troy SVP Marketing Phyllis Grove, and Patagonia VP of Global Wholesale Bruce Old.

Moving off the board following the July meeting are Outdoor Afro Founder & CEO Rue Mapp, following six years of service, and Grassroots Outdoor Alliance Director of Retailer Membership & Education Dana Howe, following three years of service.

“The exiting directors represent unique and respected business voices and have provided the board with valuable perspective and insights,” remarked Aangeenbrug, “and we thank them for their contributions and committed service.”

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About the Outdoor Industry Association

Located in Boulder, Colo., with offices in Washington, D.C., Outdoor Industry Association (OIA) is the leading trade association for the outdoor industry. OIA unites and serves 900 manufacturer, supplier, sales representative and retailer members through its focus on trade and recreation policy, sustainable business innovation and outdoor participation. For more information, visit https://outdoorindustry.org/.