footwearinsight.com January/February 2023 ~ Footwear Insight • 9
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Outdoor
Industry Buzz
NEWS OF NOTE
Grassroots Outdoor Alliance, the
specialty outdoor retail trade organization,
named Devaki Murch as its new Director
of Events. The newly created position
reflects the organization's growth as well
as an evolution in how they approach the
opportunities provided by the Grassroots
Connect buying show, says Gabe Maier,
president of Grassroots Outdoor Alliance.
He stated, "is new role will enable Devaki
to lean in a bit more on the strategic side of
our gatherings, and at the same time will
open a space for a new Connect-focused
team member that we'll be hiring in early
2023." e next Grassroots Connect will
gather the specialty outdoor community
in early June for the 21st consecutive
year (Knoxville, Tenn.; June 12-15, 2023).
The most recent Grassroots Connect
(Kansas City, Mo.; Nov. 7-10, 2022)
attracted 149 exhibitors.
e NPD Group announced the win-
ners of its third annual Outdoor Sports
Retail Performance Awards, including
On in the footwear category. e awards
acknowledge the fastest-growing brands
in the U.S. outdoor and snow specialty re-
tail markets based on in-store and e-com-
merce sales revenue, according to NPD
Retail Tracking Service data. e 2022
winners are: On, footwear; ule, acces-
sories; Picture Organic, apparel; Rumpl,
camping; Stanley, equipment accessories;
K2, snow sports equipment; Liquidlogic,
water sports.
Emerald Holding, Inc., owner of Outdoor
Retailer, has acquired Lodestone Events,
producers of the Overland Expo series of
vehicle-based, adventure travel consumer
shows. e Lodestone team will oversee OR's
Outdoor Adventure X show, a consumer
lifestyle event set to take place the weekend
preceding OR's business-to-business (B2B)
summer show in Salt Lake City.
