PR: SIA Launches Industry Journal

11/19/98

McLEAN, VA (November 13, 1998) - SnowSports Industries America (SIA) announces a board-approved initiative to produce a quarterly trade publication intended to inform the snow sports industry about SIA initiatives and to educate the industry about issues pertaining to merchandising, selling, customer service, promotions and subjects associated with retail trade.

The Skiing Company Properties of Boulder, Colo., will produce the editorial content for the publication on a contractual basis. SIA will set up an editorial board to provide input on topics and issues for the new publication. The editorial board will consist of retailers, suppliers and reps. The audiences for the new publication are manufacturers, retailers and sales reps.

Bill Grout, editor-in-chief of The Skiing Company Properties, will head up the creative team. A publisher will be announced by SIA shortly. Articles will be solicited by experts within and outside the industry in the areas of sales, marketing, promotions, public relations, merchandising, transportation, operations and other business-related topics.

"There is a need in the industry for a vehicle that can deliver thought-provoking articles on a variety of topics that will help members, retailers and reps with their business practices," said David Ingemie, president of SIA. "We want to develop a publication that will provide that service and allow SIA to educate the industry about programs that are made available through trade show revenues. We are not competing with other industry publications, such as Wintersports Business, STN and STN OnLine, which are news oriented publications."

"Our overall vision is to make North America the best snow sports market in the world. Effective communication with constituents is one of the best ways to reach that vision," added Ingemie. "This new publication will help us achieve that goal both for SIA as an association and the industry at large. We will have an opportunity to consolidate some of our existing communications to create a more efficient interaction with the industry."

The new publication will debut in May 1999. Additional issues will be published in the summer, fall and winter seasons and in conjunction with next year's trade show.

"We are very pleased to be collaborating with SIA on this venture," said Andrew Clurman, president of The Skiing Company. "We have assembled a team of very talented writers and editors who can help shape this publication into a strong communications tool that will benefit the industry."

SnowSports Industries America (SIA) is the national, nonprofit, member-owned trade association of more than 700 competing snow sports product manufacturers, suppliers and distributors working together to promote and develop the snow sports industry. SIA produces the Vegas Show, the largest order writing show and gathering place for the snow sports industry. Proceeds from the Vegas Show fund market development programs for all snow sport disciplines. SIA also annually produces more than a dozen industry research studies. For more information, check out www.snowlink.com or the SIA Fax-On-Demand service, .

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