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PETER GLENN FOUNDER NED HAMILTON HONORED WITH THE 2012 INDUSTRY ACHIEVEMENT AWARD!
After more than half a century in snow sports retail, successfully uniting business and family in a chain of specialty shops that counts 13 locations from Florida to Virginia, Hamilton says he's still surprised to be singled out for the recognition. "I feel very humble and honored to receive this award on behalf of my personal family, my Peter Glenn family of associates, and all my ski industry friends who have been so instrumental in any success that we have had over 53 years," Hamilton says. "I feel that from the very beginning, the most important ingredients in our recipe have been to select and maintain superior staff, and to establish long and loyal relationships with our suppliers and supplier representatives.
It was 1958 when Hamilton opened his first ski shop in the basement of the A.D. Farwell Co., a men's clothing store in Montpelier, VT. He named it after his one year old son, Peter Glenn Hamilton, and watched as it thrived in the ski-crazed community. By 1970, he added locations at Mad River Glen, Stowe, and Sugarbush, and moved his original locations to the Barre-Montpelier Road. At the age of 37, it was also the year that he nearly lost his life. After experiencing sharp pains in his chest, Hamilton was rushed to the hospital where doctors diagnosed a pulmonary embolism. They thought the blood clot in his lung was more than likely the result of one of the two broken legs he had previously suffered in ski accidents. He was told to give up skiing, as well as his passion for flying his own planes, and decided to spend time at a condo he had in Florida as he decided what to do next. But by 1975 he was opening a new ski shop--in Boca Raton of all places.
"We learned the hard way that there is a significant difference in the way you do snow sports retailing in Vermont and South Florida," Hamilton says. "When we first came to Florida, we had to completely change our product mix, sell the sport before we could sell the apparel and equipment, and help grow the ski clubs, which were so important to us during the early years."
He now has 10 locations in Florida, as well as two in Georgia and one in Virginia. But even more than proving that snow sports retail could succeed somewhere like Florida, Hamilton says he is proudest of the way he has been able to involve his family with his professional life. "We are very fortunate to have two children, Peter and Lori, that grew up with a passion for skiing and the business," Hamilton says. "I can't begin to tell you how I beam with pride when I am told how they have earned the respect of our industry , not for who they are, but for what they have done. My wife Carolyn has been a pillar of support and an incredible partner and copilot through all the turbulence that we encountered on this flight".
This article was written by Peter Kray courtesy of SIA Snow Show Daily
CONGRATULATIONS TO SMC SKIING BUSINESS INDUSTRY AWARD WINNERS!
To recognize those that make the ski industry progress, industry peers submitted nominations to help Ski Business find the best retailers and thank them for the important roles they play in furthering the wintersports industry. The 2012 SMC winners are listed below. Congratulations!!
MOST KNOWLEDGEABLE STAFF: Start Haus, Truckee, CA
BEST WOMEN'S ENGAGEMENT: Willi's Ski & Snowboard, Pittsburgh, PA
BEST BACKSHOP; SKI TUNING: The Sports Page, Queensbury, NY
BEST BACKSHOP; BOOTFITTING: Start Haus, Truckee, CA
SMC WELCOMES ITS NEWEST MEMBER START HAUS
SMC is proud to welcome Start Haus, Truckee, CA as its newest member. The Start Haus officially opened its doors in downtown Truckee, CA in August of 2004. Through word-of-mouth only, the customers came, and the business grew. Since 2004, the Start Haus has expanded the size of its storefront by 300%, quadrupled its number of employees, acquired state of the art ski tuning machines, and launched an online store. It has also been named in SKI Magazine as one of America's top 15 bootfitters as well as Skiing Business Awards 2012 finalist for Most Knowledgeable Staff, Best Bootfitting, and Best Digital Services.
For more information on Start Haus visit their website www.starthaus.com.
FOOTLOOSE NAMED ONE OF THE BEST 15 BOOTFITTERS IN THE U.S. BY SKI MAGAZINE!
SKI Magazine teamed up with the pros from America's Best Bootfitters and Masterfit University, who help run SKI Magazine's annual boot test and announced Footloose Sports as one of America's top bootfitters!
Corty Lawrence and the team at Footloose Sports has been at the bootfitting business for more than 30 years and their bootfitting-only beginnings have grown into a full service ski shop that is still taking care of a steady, return clientele—folks that are now bringing their kids in to be fitted. All high-end bootfitting services are available, from custom footbeds to aftermarket liners, to boot sole planing for cant. Footloose Sports is a Fischer Vacuum boot location and has a history of piloting new programs and bootfitting products and services, stretching back to its roots as a research and development center for Superfeet footbeds. Their successful bootfitting approach is less about what products they sell and more about their personal connection with their customers.
"It's a way to give our customers the best shot at enjoying skiing as much as we do."--Corty Lawrence
Congratulations to Footloose Sports!
Visit www.footloosesports.com for more information.
SMC WELCOMES NEW MEMBERS SKI BARN AND BUCHIKA'S 
Ski Barn located in Paramus, NJ. Brother and sister team of Ray Fallon and Debra Fallon operate the business first started by their father in 1971. They now have opened four stores which is helped run by three generations of family. "We have third generation employees and third generation customers,"Debra says. The focus on quality, customer service and staff knowledge has been the keystone of their success.
They are the Tri-State area's premier pro ski and snowboard shop and are a 3-time "Retailer of the Year" award winner. Ski Barn is also certified as one of "America's Best Bootfitters" by the Masterfit University Training Centers and they even have a licensed podorthist on staff.
For more information on Ski Barn please visit their site at www.skibarn.com
Buchika's located in Salem, NH, this one store location operation is owned by Dave Galeucia and Todd Atkinson. They purchased the store from the Buchika family in 2007 and are now carrying on the SMC tradition from Roger Buchika - one of the earliest SMC members
. Dave and Todd can be reached at (603) 893-5534 or buchikas_dave@comcast.net or buchikas_todd@comcast.net.
For more information, please visit www.buchika.com.
SMC 2012 CORPORATE OFFICERS
Chairman: Tom Feurst, Pedigree Ski Shop, White Plains, NY
Vice Chairman / Treasurer: Bill Leonard, Ski Country Sports; Banner Elk, NC.
Secretary: Randy Morgan, Outpost Sunsport; Fort Collins, CO.
Director: Ned Hamilton, Peter Glenn of Vermont; Ft. Lauderdale, FL.
Director: Sepp Kober, Freestyle; Charlottesville, VA.
Director: Tony Colasardo, Footloose Sports, Mammoth Lakes, CA
Director: Bob Olson, Viking Ski Shop, Chicago, IL.