Grassroots Outdoor Alliance, the collaborative strategic network of independent outdoor specialty retailers is making key promotions to its internal team and adding new staff roles to bolster its data and communications capabilities.
Promotions include Dana Howe, who will serve as Grassroots Director of Membership and Education, an expansion of her previous role. She will now manage all membership including vendors. Additionally, Hope Buttitta will grow her role as Grassroots Director of Operations and Finance to oversee data and business analysis.
“While Grassroots executes at nearly every level through a broad team effort, building out the roles of Dana and Hope will specifically help our ongoing efforts to break down the communication barriers that exist between shops and vendors, and will also further solidify the role of data within our operations,” said Rich Hill, president of Grassroots Outdoor Alliance.
Another key staffing note is the return of Devaki Murch, Grassroots Connect trade show manager, who has resumed full-time efforts ahead of next fall’s Connect buying event in Kansas City. The November show will be the first gathering of the Grassroots retail community in two years and is anticipating record attendance of retailers and vendors.
Grassroots also announced the hiring of O’Ryan Lovins, who joins the internal team in early May in the new position of Data and Business Analyst. Previously, Lovins was a data analyst and buyer for GearHead Outfitters, Camping World and Rock/Creek Outfitters.
A second new position, Vendor Relations Manager, is in the hiring process. Both new positions were created following the departure of Vice President Gabe Maier, who left the group in late April to pursue new career opportunities. Interested applicants are encouraged to submit their materials at grassrootsoutdoors.com/news/careers.
“It was certainly hard to say goodbye to a valued team member, but it has also provided Grassroots with an opportunity to strengthen some of our key strategic initiatives,” Hill said.
