REI named its 2014 Vendor Partner of the Year awards during the Outdoor Retailer Winter Market trade show. Eagle’s Nest Outfitters, Inc. (ENO) was presented with the annual Vendor Partner of the Year awards, while Kühl, Thule and Osprey Packs were named divisional winners.
The Vendor Partner of the Year awards program was established by REI in 1993. Each year, companies are nominated by the co-op’s three merchandising divisions – camp/travel, actionsports and outdoorwear – for their efforts to build a strategic and successful relationship focused on meeting member and customer needs, and to bring quality, innovation, outdoor stewardship and performance to the industry. REI retail employees vote on the slate of nominees.
ENO, the brain child of brothers Peter and Paul Pinholster, was founded in the summer of 1999 and grew steadily from a two-man, one-van operation, to a leading provider of parachute hammocks and outdoor accessories..
“ENO redefined the hammock category and saw amazing growth in 2014,” says Susan Viscon, senior vice president REI Merchandising. “They are the consummate vendor partner. With their highly engaged, collaborative and strategic approach, they worked closely with REI to continue to deliver product and maintained above-market performance through the year.”
The divisional vendor partner awards recipients are:
Outdoorwear division: Kühl (Salt Lake City)
Past recipients of the REI Vendor Partner of the Year Awards include Atlas Snowshoe (1999), Black Diamond Equipment (1994, 2006), Bell Sports (1997), Brooks (2012), CamelBak Products, LLC (2008), Cascade Designs (2001), Columbia Sportswear (1998), Eagle Creek (2000, 2005), Keen Footwear (2004), Kühl (2013), Osprey (2007), prAna (2003), Smith Optics (2002, 2009), Vasque (1995, 1996), Vibram (2010, 2011) and Yakima (1993).
