Issue link: https://viewer.e-digitaledition.com/i/1524276
12 • Footwear Insight ~ July/August 2024 footwearinsight.com T he outdoor industry trade group Grassroots Outdoor Alliance (GOA) recently named e Mountaineer in Keene, NY, as its Retailer of the Year and Patagonia as its Vendor Partner of the Year as part of its 2024 Grassroots Outdoor Specialty Awards. Additionally, River Rock Outfitter in Fredericksburg, VA, earned a new award for retailers — Community Giveback. e Grassroots Outdoor Specialty Awards are based on peer data col- lected from GOA members in multiple areas. e GOA consists of 101 inde- pendently owned outdoor retailers and 66 vendor partners. Vendors provide feedback on the outdoor retail com- munity and retailers provide feedback on vendor partners. GOA members also selected winners in several additional and new category awards for products, sales and service, as well as collaboration and support: • Zach Branson, managing partner at Mountain Source in Evergreen, CO, and Alex Cavner, territory manager for Adventure Marketing Group in Asheville, NC, were recognized for Excellence in Sales Representation. • Salewa was recognized for Excellence in Footwear, with a specific emphasis on strong retailer support through rep assistance, clinics, and product knowledge. • Nemo Equipment was recognized for Excellence in Hardgoods & Accessories for consistently producing well-made, functional and innovative products that help retailers find success in their stores. • Mountain Hardwear won the award for Excellence in Apparel & Sogoods, with success hinging on strong sup- port, appropriate specialty-friendly brand strategies, and strong relation- ships between retailer and brand. • Playmakers, Okemos, MI, earned the award for Retailer Growth, with success over the last year resulting from innovative business strategies and demonstrating outstanding growth in a competitive marketplace. n O rthoLite has been honored with the American Podiatric Medical Association (APMA) Seal of Acceptance for its X40, Ultra and 0.11 Originals insoles. According to APMA, this honor is granted to prod- ucts found to promote good foot health. e Seal of Acceptance is awarded to shoes, socks, insoles, materials, and equipment. OrthoLite partners with more than 550 of the world's leading footwear brands and has six owned manufac- turing facilities located across the world where footwear is produced. OrthoLite's largest market is performance, including running, athletic and technical outdoor footwear. e brand also continues to grow brand partners in the fashion, luxury, workwear/safety and more casual footwear categories. "OrthoLite is the first point of contact between the shoe and the person wearing the shoe. It is OrthoLite's insoles that make the biggest impact on the consumer in terms of the comfort of the shoe. is is a respon- sibility that we take very seriously to deliver on as it is what frames the consumers' experience of a purchase from their favorite footwear brands," explains Glenn Barrett, founder and CEO of OrthoLite. "We are in- credibly honored to be recognized by APMA for the comfort and performance that our X40, Ultra, and 0.11 Originals insoles deliver." n Grassroots Outdoor Award Winners OrthoLite Earns Seal of Acceptance OUTDOOR INDUSTRY BRAND NEWS Grassroots Outdoor Alliance Retailer of the Year Winners Charlie Wise and Brittany Purdy, The Mountaineer. Glenn Barrett, OrthoLite CEO and founder. THE FOOTWEAR EYE