Movers and Shakers

Bob Berg has been named customer-service manager for Wave Rave Outerwear. Berg will oversee the customer service, warranty, and traffic-control departments while developing and maintaining close relationships with Wave Rave’s retailers. He formerly served as buyer/manager at The Hut in Wayzata, Minnesota.

Industry insiders Cindy Lum and Alex Hillinger recently launched Chemistry Communications, a marketing communications firm for action sports companies. Call them at: (206) 264-1095 , or visit their Web site at: www.goodchemistry.com.

Sims announced the signing of European skate/snowboarder Nicolas Droz to its pro team. Droz can be seen most recently in Jamie Mosberg’s new film Golden Circle Awards.

Sims also welcomes Maxx von Marbod as the new Northwest sales representative. He’ll work in-house and his territory includes Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Western Montana, Alaska, and Hawaii. Reach him at: (425) 951-2732. Scott Rouse will resume the position of team manager after a ten-month hiatus during which he was honing his skills as a photographer and freelance writer.

Alphanumeric welcomes Mirko Mangum to the position of sales manager. The former Planet Earth international sales manager will apply his years of experience to manage and grow overall sales at Alphanumeric. Retailers may contact sales representatives at: (619) 702-5775.

Alphanumeric also welcomes Utah professional Jeremy Jones to the team roster. The team now consists of Jones, Kareem Campbell, Kenny Hughes, Russell Winfield, Spencer Fujimoto, and Forrest Kirby.

Vans announces Leonard R. Wilkins and Charles G. Armstrong have been appointed to the company’s board of directors, expanding it to eleven members. Armstrong is the president of the Seattle Mariners Baseball Club and brings experience from the management side to the table. Wilkins is the coach of the Atlanta Hawks. He’s a recognized leader in his ability to work with and encourage athletes to reach their maximum potential.

Bakoda specialized snowboard products is building a team and the first member to join is North Vancouver’s Devun Walsh. This marks a new direction in imaging for the company.

G-shock’s team for 1998/99 includes Terje Haakonsen, Jeff Brushie, Victoria Jealouse, and Cara-Beth Burnside.

Dream World rider Dan Genditzki signed with Sun Sports International for photo layout. He has also been promoted to snowboard team manager for Dream World.

Seattle, Washington-based Northstar Distribution’s accessory line ASS Industries introduces Blaise Rosenthal, Joni Makinen, and Todd Richards to its professional hardware team. They join the likes of Devun Walsh, Joey McGuire, Marc Frank Montoya, Ali Goulet, Mike Ranquet, Jeremy Baye, Nick Franke, Erich Rehbein, Jay Rehbein, and Blue Montgomery.

MIA Snowboards team riders are Erich Rehbein, Nick Francke, Doug Byrnes, and Eric Kovall.

MLY Snowboarding announces the promotion of Doug Howard to marketing services manager.Howard will oversee the MLY VIP program and will also manage MLY’s promotions, trade shows, and demo program. He can be reached at: (503) 872-8483.

The team manager position vacated by Howard has been filled by Romey Thornton, previously with Silence. He’s based in Southern California and can be reached at: (760) 729-5183.

John Flanagan, Chad Jacobs, and Rob Wells are the masterminds behind a new athlete management and information provider for the action-sports market called Thermostat. They can be reached at (415) 332-5306.

Purgatory Resort announced John Barth has been appointed to the new position of safety director. Purgatory named Ken Hulick director of communications. Hulick’s background includes stints as a national magazine editor, a marketing and communications consultant, and a freelance sports and travel writer.

Ross Powers has been added to Spoon Watches roster of professional athletes.

Outlast Technologies, Inc., is powering up its sales force by naming Jim Paine senior vice president-worldwide sales, Rick Wolfe managing director-Europe, Dana Dupuis vice president of sales-work apparel, and Karen B. Fischer regional sales manager—West Coast.

Paine worked at Malden Mills where he crafted the hugely successful Polartec sales strategy. Wolfe, who joined Outlast in 1995, will focus on the burgeoning European market. Dupuis has more than twelve years experience in building highly productive sales efforts. Fisher has worked extensively in textile sales throughout North America.

New Heights, a public relations and creative-marketing consultation company for the outdoor recreation and snowsport industry has opened in Jackson, Wyoming. Kelly Borris, former director of marketing and public-relations manager for Marmot Mountain Limited joins Dana Donley, former public-relations manager for The North Face, and Rob Haggart of Focus Productions to create a strong and talented partnership.

Donna Morgan, former special events and promotions director for Northstar-at-Tahoe, has been named the events and promotions manager for Booth Creek Ski Holdings, owners and operators of eight ski resorts in four states. Morgan will be responsible for all Booth Creek sponsorship and promotional programs as well as acting liaison to each resorts’ events, sponsorship, and promotions manager.

Bollé America and Bollé Canada have consolidated to form Bollé North America. Ken D’Arcy, formerly vice president and general manager of Bollé Canada, has been named vice president and general manager of the newly formed entity. Michael Connelly, an award-winning newspaper sports executive, has been named Bollé director of marketing services, where he will manage and promote its diverse stable of athletes worldwide.

Alpine Meadows has named Rachel Woods its new public relations coordinator. Woods worked as a public relations intern at American Skiing Company-owned Sugarbush Ski Area in Warren, Vermont in 1996. Following her college graduation in 1997, she moved to Tahoe, California and worked as an Alpine Meadows mountain host and snow-phone operator for the 1997/98 season.

Ride Snowboards has some new additions: Michael "Tep" Teppner is the new purchasing specialist, Mark Fankhauser is full-time senior designer, Steve Walker is in invoicing, Tom Peha does pro forms, Earnest Simpson is the technical support/MIS assistant, Casey Dill is staff accountant, Marie Chaisson is marketing coordinator, Jaeson Kanter is Doug Harley’s new sales assistant also heading up the demo tour for California and Nevada, Paul Green comes to Ride from MCI as the senior accountant/financial analyst, and Shannon Cowlish is the new brave soul to tackle the front desk.

Ron "Mullethead" Sandlin is heading up the customer-service department. Leslie Von Steeg will be covering the Rockies, South, and Southeastern states. Inger Surowiecki is now in charge of the Northeast and East Coast territories for both 5150 and Ride. Andrew Heinzle will be working in the West Coast region including California, Arizona, Nevada, and Hawaii. Jennifer Abramski handles the nationwide customer service for both Liquid and SPG brands. Garrick Hull oversees the largest territory for 5150 and Ride, which includes the Pacific Northwest and all the big accounts in the Midwest.

Duofold announced the promotion of Jon Hay to the position of vice president-sales.

Colorado-based Christine Dumont has partnered with Betty Rides Utah rep Belinda Edwards to handle the Rocky region for the company.

Paul Gwin is the new supervisor at Bear Valley’s snowboard shop, the Grizzly Den. Gwin will oversee Bear Valley’s fleet of more than 600 snowboards, bindings, and boots. He will also be involved in future purchasing of rental and demo boards, bindings, and boots.

The Salt Lake Organizing Committee has added a new position to its licensing team with Elisabeth Walton serving as the retail relations coordinator. Walton’s goal is multi-faceted: to implement merchandise policies and standards with the Olympic retail community; to educate retailers on the procurement of official licensed Olympic merchandise; to protect licensees from fraud and trademark violations; and to advise retail managers on product presentation and promotion.

Purgatory Resort announces Scott Stewart as director of Durango central reservations and Dave Welz as sales manager. Stewart joins Purgatory after serving as station manager for Reno Air and as customer service manger for American Airlines. Welz has been with the Purgatory sales department since 1995.

Arbor snowboards has put together an eclectic team of snowboarders with a broad background. New additions include Darian Boyle, Eric Klassen, and Greta Gaines.

Arbor has also announced its national sales reps including new additions Mark Sanders, Tim Norton, Alan Arellano, Tyrell Hash, Vince Taylor, Tim Brennan, Ross Taft, and Tom Armbruster. For information call Arbor at: (310) 656-3268.