Sporting Goods Industry Hall of Fame

Selling snow skiing in the Sunshine State figured to be a tough proposition for E.J. “Ned” Hamilton.

Building a successful group of Peter Glenn Ski & Sports shops, named after his son, in the ski country of Vermont made perfect sense. When Hamilton moved to Florida in 1975 he was too young to retire so he opened a shop in Boca Raton where skiing evoked images of water and not snow.

But Hamilton made it work and sold and grew the sport along with his Peter Glenn stores. His contributions to the ski and snowboard industry earned Hamilton his selection for induction with the Sporting Goods Industry Hall of Fame Class of 2025.

“With his primary focus being the southeast, I can only imagine what the naysayers told him,” said Jon Rucker, the president off HEAD/Tyrolia Wintersports. “Ned proved them all wrong. Not only has Peter Glenn been a multi-store, multi-decade commercial success, with many of their locations far from any mountain, it continues to succeed in exposing countless individuals to skiing and snowboarding who otherwise might never see snow.”

Hamilton had already proved others wrong in 1958 when he owned a men’s clothing store and coached a women’s college ski team in Montpelier, Vermont. A local sporting goods store refused to carry ski products, claiming it was just a “fad,” but Hamilton saw the high demand for equipment and added clothing and accessories to his mix.

He quickly expanded to franchise stores and area shops named after Peter Glenn throughout Vermont. And he was ultimately able to accomplish the same success with multiple locations in Florida, Arizona, California and Alaska.

“We learned the hard way that there is a significant difference in the way you do snow sports retailing in Vermont vs. South Florida,” Hamilton said. “When we first came to Florida, we had to completely change our product mix, sell the sport before we could sell apparel and equipment, and help grow the ski clubs, which were so important to us during the early years.”

The Sports Authority approached Hamilton about Peter Glenn leasing the ski department within its Florida stores. It was extremely successful and expanded outside Florida and gave access to potential new skiers who might not normally frequent a specialty ski shop. This partnership ultimately led to the formation of the Snowsports Merchandising Corporation (SMC), a snow sports specialty buying group which is now part of Winter Sports Retailers (WSR).

Hamilton also created a group of retailers called the Consolidated Buying Associates (CBA), which was comprised of 20 retailers in 23 states and Washington, D.C. The stores brought a high level of customer service that helped increase the chances of creating lifetime ski enthusiasts.

“Ned is a beloved member of our ski industry who values and encourages skiing as a lifestyle for families nationwide, promoting ski clubs from Florida and ski trips all over the United States and the world,” said Diane Boyer, the former chairperson of Snowsports Industries America (SIA). “Thanks to Ned, skiing has grown to be a multi-generational sport for families from Vermont to Florida.”

Peter Glenn has won numerous industry accolades and Hamilton credits his wife Carolyn as a pillar of support, along with his son, Peter, and daughter, Lori Underwood and her husband, Martin. Hamilton also expresses gratitude to his loyal staff of 64 years who have helped him build his successful business. Hamilton was a member of the National Sporting Goods Association Board of Directors and served as chairman in 1972. He also served on the Board of Directors of Snowsports Merchandising Corporation (SMC).

“Ned Hamilton is well-recognized as the epitome of the specialty retailer in the winter sports business,” said Gary Fleming, CEO of Winter Sports Retailers.

Please note: This biography was produced from the nominating materials in the candidate’s nominating year, so the information may not be current.