COLE JOHNSON JOINS NSGA BOARD OF

OF JOHNSON-LAMBE SPORTING GOODS

Directors

The National Sporting Goods Association (NSGA) filled an open spot on its Board of Directors with the appointment of Cole Johnson of Johnson-Lambe Sporting Goods in Raleigh, North Carolina. Johnson’s three-year term took effect June 1, 2023.

Johnson has filled a variety of roles in his nine years at Johnson-Lambe, which is in its fourth generation as a family owned and operated business since it opened in 1935, and is one of the most-respected independent team dealers in the United States.

“Cole is going to be a great addition to the NSGA Board and will bring a unique perspective as one of the young leaders in our industry,” said Matt Carlson, NSGA President & CEO. “Cole combines a lot of enthusiasm with a strong background in order to embrace the changes and challenges to help our members and everyone involved in our industry.”

Johnson started in retail for one year and transitioned to focus on youth team sales for a year. Since then, he has taken on operations management and high school/collegiate sales while continuing to do youth sales. He has also played roles in purchasing, IT work, human resources and vendor relations. He received his Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration from Appalachian State University in 2014.

“Sports and sporting goods have always been a major part of my life,” Johnson said. “Being in a family business, I’ve been putting together trophies and football helmets as far back as I can remember.

“I’ve had the privilege to grow up around some of the best men and women in this industry and the knowledge I’ve gained from them has been a guiding light through these last few difficult years.

“We are facing a rapidly changing business landscape that has created many new challenges, but also new opportunities. I look forward to working with the NSGA Board to explore these new opportunities and to help our industry grow.”

Kevin Bezanson (Cleve’s Source For Sports/Halifax, Nova Scotia), Bob Fawley (Capitol Varsity Sports/ Oxford, Ohio), Gordon Geiger (Geiger’s/Lakewood, Ohio) and Ron Rugal (B&R Sporting Goods/Shelby Township, Michigan) were also reappointed to three-year terms on the NSGA Board.

National Sporting Goods Association (NSGA) and National Ski & Snowboard Retailers Association (NSSRA) members need to prepare for potential shipping disruptions as a UPS strike looms. The current Teamsters contract expires at the end of July, and while negotiations are ongoing, it is crucial to be prepared. As of press time no agreement had been reached. You can take proactive steps by planning ahead for inventory needs. You can open a FedEx account as an alternative shipping provider and make use of the exclusive FedEx discounts available to NSGA and NSSRA members through the PartnerShip program. If you’re not signed up, you can enroll for discounts of 40% off FedEx Express and 30% off FedEx Ground and ensure the smooth delivery of your shipments.

PartnerShip said the impact of a UPS strike would disrupt the supply chain and cause delivery delays. Small businesses could be forced to seek higher-priced alternative shipping solutions. Diversifying shipping partners, planning ahead, exploring local sourcing and optimizing inventory management are among the ways to avoid disruptions if UPS did go on strike.

Members of the Teamsters union voted overwhelmingly in mid-June to strike if an agreement with UPS isn’t reached when the current contract expires July 31, according to a CBS News report. The last UPS strike was a 15-day walkout in 1997 and this would be the largest work stoppage in the United States since 1959 when 500,000 steelworkers went on strike for nearly four months.

For more information on the NSGA PartnerShip program go to nsga. org/business-solutions/.