TIA Adds 3 Retailers to Board of Directors
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Jolyn deBoer
PO Box 7845
Hilton Head Island,
843-686-3036
Jolyn@TennisIndustry.org
07/06/04 - In a move designed to bring more representation within the tennis industry to tennis retailers, the Tennis Industry Association has added three new members to its board of directors from the retail world.
Named to the TIA board in June are Steve Dunlap, the vice president of golf and racquet sports for The Sports Authority; Chris Gaudreau, owner of the Racquet Koop in New Haven, Conn.; and Dale Queen, owner of Your Serve Tennis, which has six locations in the Atlanta area.
“The TIA must represent our sport, and the retailers from all parts of our industry must be heard,” says TIA President Jim Baugh. “We are excited to add retailers to our board.” Previous to the latest additions, the TIA board was made up of court builders, equipment manufacturers, media and representatives from various organizations in tennis, such as the PTR, USPTA, USTA and World TeamTennis.
“I feel it will be good for the industry to get a retailer perspective,” says Queen. “We’ll work with everyone to put our heads together to grow [the game] further. The more players we have out there playing, the better for us, too. And I feel that I’m giving back to the industry that I’ve been dealing with for 28 years.”
“I’m looking forward to offering input from a perspective that [the TIA] didn’t have before,” says Gaudreau. “I’m happy to be a part of the organization.”
The next TIA board meeting will be during the US Open in New York City, Sept. 3 from 9 a.m. to noon. Also new to the 26-member TIA board is Kai Nitsche of Dunlop, who replaces Gordon Boggis, who left the company.
Getting retailer representation on the TIA board has been a key for the organization for the last few months. “The main thing is to have a bigger voice for all those involved in the tennis industry,” says TIA Executive Director Jolyn de Boer.
De Boer says that as the TIA gears up to push the TIA TennisExpo 2005, it was important to make sure tennis retailers were represented. The TennisExpo will be Jan. 17 to 19 in Orlando, Fla., running in conjunction with the 2005 Super Show. The event, designed to serve as a “rallying point” for the industry, will include meetings, forums, seminars, a buying show, entertainment opportunities, tennis industry awards, and more.
The retailer additions to the board also are in line with the TIA recently adding the new “Tennis Retailer” category of membership. For annual dues of $250, Tennis Retailer members of the TIA receive the latest research to help them with their businesses, in addition to taking advantage of other tools to help them best service their customers and members.
“We must help retailers be more successful,” says Baugh. “That is one of the reasons we’re running seminars at the TIA Expo in January to help the retailer. Every part of our sport must grow, and must help us to grow our sport, too.”
