MOUNT PROSPECT, Ill. (November 7, 2002) -- The Sporting Goods Industry Hall of Fame will open its doors to three new members next year at induction ceremonies to be conducted at the 39th Annual NSGA Management Conference & 5th Annual Team Dealer Summit May 20, at JW Marriott Desert Ridge Resort & Spa in Phoenix, Ariz.

Gertrude (Gert) Boyle, Columbia Sportswear; Jake Burton Carpenter, Burton Snowboards; and Patrick Galyan, Galyan's, are the newest winners of this special honor. Since 1956, the sporting goods industry has honored the pioneers, innovators and leaders of the sporting goods industry, and the election of the Class of 2003 brings the total number of Hall of Famers to 116.

"Election to the Hall of Fame is the highest honor one can receive in the sporting goods industry," said Hall of Fame Committee Chairman Mickey Newsome, president & CEO of Hibbett Sporting Goods, Inc. "These inductees meet the high standards to which all Hall of Fame nominees are held."

The Sporting Goods Industry Hall of Fame Breakfast is co-sponsored by Mizuno USA and New Balance Athletic Shoe, Inc. Information on how to attend the Hall of Fame Breakfast and induction ceremony is available by contacting Larry Weindruch at NSGA, 847/296-6742, Ext. 129, or e-mail: lweindruch@nsga.org.

Gertrude (Gert) Boyle Columbia Sportswear

Gertrude Boyle is the spirited matriarch and chairwoman of the board of the international outdoor apparel and footwear manufacturer Columbia Sportswear Company .

Hailed by Working Woman magazine as one of "America's Top 50 Women Business Owners," Mrs. Boyle is the center of Columbia's irreverent, award-winning advertising campaign. She portrays cantankerous "Mother Boyle," the overbearing taskmaster who enforces Columbia's demanding quality standards. This campaign earned Columbia the coveted Marketing Innovation award at the 1997 Super Show, an international sporting goods and apparel trade show.

Mrs. Boyle has been a part of Columbia Sportswear since her father founded Columbia Hat Company in 1938. Throughout her teens, she helped with the family business. She then attended the University of Arizona, and earned a degree in sociology in 1947. While at college she met her future husband, Neal Boyle, whom she married in 1948.

When Mrs. Boyle's father died in 1964, Neal took over the helm of the growing company. Just six years later, in 1970, at the age of 47, Neal Boyle died unexpectedly of a heart attack. He left three children, an expanding company leaning heavily on bank loans, and a wife whose previous experiences with finances was her monthly ritual of throwing all the bills across the living room and paying the one that flew the farthest.

Mrs. Boyle soon discovered that running the family's million-dollar sportswear company might be a little different.

Two years later, the bankers decided it was time for Mrs. Boyle and her son Tim to sell the business. When she sat down with the perspective buyer and realized she would only make $1,400 off the sale, Mrs. Boyle told him, "For that kind of money, I'll run the company into the ground myself."

That was 31 years ago. Since Mrs. Boyle and Tim have been running the company, Columbia Sportswear Company has gone from near bankruptcy to become one of the world's largest outerwear manufacturers and the leading seller of skiwear in the United States. Columbia's sales have soared from $12.9 million in 1984 to $615 million in 2000, and the company continues to forge ahead with product diversification and innovation.

Throughout her career, Mrs. Boyle has been a leader in the Portland community. The area's deep respect for her was exemplified in 1997 when the prestigious University of Portland bestowed an honorary doctorate on the then 74-year-old grandmother of five. Mrs. Boyle has received many other honors recognizing her business savvy and philanthropic endeavors.

Jake Burton Carpenter Burton Snowboards

Jake Burton Carpenter has dedicated the past 25 years of his life to snowboarding. In 1977, Jake founded Burton Snowboards in South Londonderry, Vermont -- an event that is generally recognized as the birth of modern day snowboarding. From a Vermont barn, Jake created a sport, an industry and a lifestyle.

Through the years, Jake has played a vital role in transitioning snowboarding from a backyard hobby to a world-class sport. Deemed the "Father of Snowboarding," Jake just sees himself as someone who loves to ride. His goal is to snowboard over 100 days a year.

By supporting a Global Team of the world's top snowboarders, including five Olympic Medallists, Burton Snowboards has fueled the growth of snowboarding worldwide. The company's support and development of successful programs like Learn To Ride (LTR), The Chill Foundation and the U.S. Open Snowboarding Championships have also contributed to snowboarding's tremendous growth and exposure over the years.

The company received the National Ski & Snowboard Retailers Association's (NSSRA) Outstanding Snowboard Hardgoods Supplier award in 2001 and 2002, and the NSSRA Outstanding Snowboard Softgoods Supplier award in 2001.

Jake is still Burton's most avid product tester. Snowboarding is constantly progressing, and Jake keeps an open mind about the sport's future while remaining true to his principles. Founding the world's largest snowboarding company hasn't changed Jake's down-to-earth personality. He comes to the office, spends time with his family and snowboards as much as he can.

Patrick Galyan Galyan's

Pat Galyan was born in Indianapolis, Ind., the son of Albert and Naomi Galyan, where his father was a prominent local grocer. He graduated high school from Park School and then went on to earn his B.A. in history from Wabash College, with a strong area of concentration in environmental studies.

Upon graduation in 1972, Pat received his commission in the U.S. Navy and spent most of his tour in the Aleutian Islands. After leaving the service, he returned home and started to run the family business, which included two grocery stores and Galyan's Trading Post, which at that time was a boat, gun and fishing store.

Upon taking over, Pat quickly eliminated the grocery stores and started to expand the sporting goods offerings at the Post, which evolved into a full-sports and boat store of 60,000-70,000 square feet. He developed a penchant for large stores in order to provide the customer with great assortments.

He also was very focused on customer service. With this background and belief system of "staying in stock and waiting on the customer" as the bedrock on how to operate at retail, he built his first store outside Indianapolis, in Columbus, Ohio. This store was a true "category killer" in every way, and it caught the eye of The Limited, which decided to purchase the company.

The Limited retained Pat to run and build the operation into a national chain, which he did under The Limited's ownership for three years. At that time, Pat decided to retire, and sold the majority of the company to Freeman Spogli, which embarked on a national rollout of the chain.

Pat served on the NSGA Board of Directors from 1993-97.

Pat has a son, Courtney, a daughter, Paige, and currently lives in Indianapolis with his wife Nancy. He spends the bulk of his time in the outdoors with his wife - hunting, fishing, skiing, camping, and hiking.

He also works with The Conservation Fund, a national organization that forges partnerships to conserve America's legacy of land and water resources, primarily through land acquisition.

Founded in 1929, NSGA's mission is to help all members profit in a competitive marketplace. The Association organizes and hosts the annual NSGA Management Conference & Team Dealer Summit, the sporting goods industry's premier educational and networking event (Next: May 18-21, 2003, at the new JW Marriott Desert Ridge Resort & Spa in Phoenix, Ariz.).

For more information on NSGA member services, visit the Association home page (www.nsga.org); call Rhonda Haenszel at NSGA, (847) 296-6742, Ext. 130; e-mail: info@nsga.org; or fax (847) 391-9827.

— Posted by Ari Cheren, MountainZone.com Gear Editor