Endeavor Design Inc’s Max Jenke is up for the Business Development Bank of Canada’s BDC Young Entrepreneur Award thanks to his work with Endeavor Snowboards. Sure, it would be nice to win the title, but the title comes with a $100,000 prize that Max hopes to blow on beer and nuts use to move Endeavour and Air Hole into the US market, according to a story in the Vancouver Sun.

Jenke would use the award money for time management and customer service software, and to engage established, on-the-ground sales agencies throughout the U.S. Having credible agencies that already represent compatible brands is crucial, he said. . . ”You really need to be down there to make an impact,” but selling “hard goods is hard,” Jenke said. “It’s like selling cars. There’s a lot of work for not a lot of return for the sales reps.”

This is where we all can help. Max needs us all to vote for him. Max is currently in 5th place and we need to move him right on up to number one. Sign in with Facebook and get your vote on now. Do it for Endeavor. Do it for snowboarding! Vote! Then, vote again.

[Link: Vancouver Sun]

We’ve been super stoked on big mountain Jeremy Jones’ sponsors lately. First he signed up with the American Pistachio Growers, then he got hooked up with Vermont Peanut Butter.

Now he’s taken to outrunning avalanches for The Silver Bullet. What’s worse is that his beer run is for some country singer who is likely recognizable among people who listen to that kind of music.

We can’t really fault him. He’s a great stuntman and light beer reportedly goes real well with nuts.

[Link via Yobeat]

Is it possible to ride a hand hewn slab of pine wood in a derby? Signal Snowboard’s Dave Lee make the impossible possible in this season’s final episode of Every Third Thursday.

[Pinewood side note: if you're into real pinewood derby racing and happen to be in Portland, Oregon Friday, June 7, 2013 sign up for Nemo Design's Pinewood Derby races.]

[Link: Signal Snowboards]

New Zealand snowboarder Jaden Beange, 18, has received a ‘deterrent sentence for a “cowardly and offensive” act’ after stealing a camera phone and posting topless photos he found on the phone on facebook, referring to the victim of the theft as “The Slut,” according to a story in The New Zealand Herald.

The teenager appeared in the Dunedin District Court on February 27, and Judge Michael Crosbie’s reserved judgement was released this week. . . In that judgement, Beange was convicted of three charges dating from the previous year: the theft of a Samsung mobile phone, doing an indecent act with intent to assault or offend, and drink-driving.

As part of the sentence Beange will have to pay the victim $2,000 and do 600 hours of community service, which, in light of recent facebook bullying suicides, is getting off pretty easy.

[Link: New Zealand Herald]

In the big snowboard agent world, this is likely news. Carl Harris, the former President of Ookii Co Athlete Management & Marketing has joined the action sports division of IMG and has brought Ayumu Hirano and Kazu Kokubo with him.

Harris joins IMG from Ookii Co Athlete Management and Marketing where he served as President for the past three years. Previously, Harris spent three years as Vice President of Business Development at VAS Entertainment. Prior to that, Harris spent five years at Viacom’s MTV Network. Harris has also held positions at Swatch Group, Burton Snowboards, and as Supervising Producer and Director for Tony Hawk’s Boom Boom HuckJam.

Now it all makes sense.

[Link: Wall Street Journal]

Snowboarder Magazine has invaded Bend, Oregon of the 2013 Superpark 17 at Mt. Bachelor. Rather than making the trek to central Oregon and having no one return out texts, we’re simply going to turn in tomorrow and watch the whole thing live and online. If that’s sounds like a good idea to you, then you should probably do the same. Tune in on Tuesday, May 7, 2013 at 1:30 PM PDT and watch it.

[Link: Snowboarder Mag]

It’s good to know that the snowboard industry isn’t going to take all the economic gloom and doom laying down. . . in the sun. . . with a drink their tanned, relaxed hands.

No, with the help of the Snow Industries of America they took action and jetted off to Palm Springs this week to get some winter problems solved the old fashioned way: meetings, powerpoint presentations, poolside drinking, tanning, and good old bro-ing down, all under the auspices of The Committee of Snowboard Brands. Committee Chairman Mike West of 686 explains:

“From company founders to CEO’s, it was an honor to have key players from the snowboard community come together to discuss some major issues within the industry,” said Mike West, founder of 686, chairman of the SIA Snowboard Committee and member of the SIA Board of Directors. “Our discussions have led to taking the next steps on increasing participation through retention and allocating our resources towards increasing healthier sales in retail. Our goal is to work ON snowboarding instead of working IN snowboarding.”

For the complete list of industry problem solvers and the additional committees they’re going to form to solve even more snowboarding industry problems, please follow the jump. Continue reading ‘SIA Solves Snowboard Problems In Palm Springs’

Someone wanted to check out REI’s no questions asked return policy, and fancy that, it appears to work quite well. Why pay for a snowboard when you can simply buy, use, and return with no explanation at all. Retail is still hell and appears to be getting worse by the day.

Follow the jump for a Backcountry.com video of similar leanings. Continue reading ‘REI’s No Questions Asked Return Policy Tested’

Today (May 3, 2013), Burton Snowboards named longtime employee John Lacy (left) as Chief Product Officer and promoted Sasha Dietschi-Cooper (right) to the position of SVP of North American Sales at Burton. Lacy will report directly to CEO Jake Burton while Dietschi-Cooper will report to Burton COO Mike Rees.

“We’re more focused than ever on the long-term success of Burton, and realigning John and Sasha’s roles reflects this priority,” said Jake Burton, Founder & CEO of Burton Snowboards. “During the past couple of years, John really stepped up and got our North American sales house in order. Now, we want to see him focus on key initiatives like product development & innovation, snowboarding participation and our opportunities in China. As for Sasha, he’s also a longtime veteran of the brand and the industry, and it was a natural evolution to have him take on more responsibility in sales. We have no doubt that both John and Sasha will succeed in their new roles.”

For the official word from Burton, follow the jump. Continue reading ‘Burton Updates Product & Sales Leadership’

Last month, the annual Legends of Tahoe Snowboarding gathering was dedicated to celebrating the 30th Anniversary of the first World Snowboarding Championships and the life of snowboarding pioneer Tom Sims. In memory of the man and the event OG snowboard legends Mike Chantry and Bob Klein put together this memorial edit. Watch it to the end because the edit includes early snowboarding footage that you won’t see anywhere else.

[Link via Snowboarder Mag]