Outdoor Retailer Inspiration Awards
The Outdoor Retailer Inspiration Awards celebrate champions of the outdoor community who inspire and encourage others to enjoy, participate in, and support outdoor recreation. Annual awards are presented to individuals, organizations, and companies making an impact throughout the year in the outdoor and winter sports industries.
The 13th annual Outdoor Retailer Inspiration Awards ceremony was held on Tuesday, June 20, 2023 on the second night of Outdoor Retailer Summer in Salt Lake City, Utah. The ceremony was hosted by rock climber, outdoor advocate, and past recipient Timmy O’Neill. Read about the 2023 recipients here.
Congratulations to the 2023 finalists and recipients:
INDIVIDUAL
Recipient: Becky Rom
Finalist: Will “Akuna” Robinson
Finalist: Alma Busby-Williams
EMERGING LEADER
Recipient: Cassie Abel
Finalist: James Merrill
Finalist: Brian Mister
MANUFACTURER
Recipient: BUFF
Finalist: GU Energy Labs
Finalist: ILLA
NONPROFIT
Recipient: Adaptive Adventures
Finalist: SOS Outreach
Finalist: Youth Empowerment Stewards (YES) Internship Program
RETAILER
Recipient: Alpinistas
Finalist: Ascent Outdoors
Finalist: Great Outdoor Provision Company
Highlights from the 2023 Ceremony
Past Winners
Lifetime Achievement
2022 Larry Harrison
2019 Larry Burke; Greg Thomsen
2018 Jake Burton Carpenter and Donna Carpenter
2017 Kristine McDivitt Tompkins
2016 Skip Yowell
2015 John Roskelley
2014 Jeff Lowe
2013 Fred Beckey
2011 Reinhold Messner
Individual (Person)
2023 Becky Rom
2022 Gloria Hwang
2021 Tyrhee Moore
2020 Teresa Baker, Faith E. Briggs, Tracy Nguyen-Chung
2019 Jenny Bruso
2018 Kimberley Barreda
2017 Peter Metcalf
2016 Andy Janicki
2015 Jeremy Collins
2014 Timmy O’Neill
2013 Bill Sweasy
2012 Erik Weihenmayer
2011 Martin Fox
Emerging Leader
2023 Cassie Abel
2022 Mercy M’fon Shammah
2021 Monserrat Alvarez Matehuala
Manufacturer (Company)
2023 BUFF
2022 Goal Zero
2021 Cotopaxi
2020 Smartwool
2019 Vericool
2018 United By Blue
2017 KEEN
2016 Life Straw
2015 Patagonia
2014 Timbuk2
2013 Suunto
2012 The North Face
2011 Mountain Mama
Retailer (Company)
2023 Alpinistas
2022 Pack Rat Outdoor Center
2021 Slim Pickins Outfitters
2020 Outdoor Gear Exchange
2019 Arrive
2018 Gear Coop
2017 Tahoe Mountain Sports
2016 Alpenglow Sports
2015 The Mountaineer
2012 Nantahala Outdoor Center
2011 REI
Nonprofit (Group)
2023 Adaptive Adventures
2022 The National Forest Foundation
2021 Ancestral Lands Conservation Corps
2020 Greening Youth Foundation
2019 City Kids Wilderness Project
2018 Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics
2017 Veterans Expeditions
2016 Big City Mountaineers
2015 National Interscholastic Cycling Association (NICA)
2014 NOLS: Expedition Denali
2013 The Sierra Club, Mission Outdoors Volunteers; Soldiers to Summits; Outdoor Afro
2012 National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS)
2011 First Descents
Youth
2020 Tatianna Butte
2019 Joseph Goldstein
2018 Margo Hayes
2017 Lilian Rose Weihert
2016 Jackie Timmins
2015 Matt Moniz
We Are Community
2020 AfterShokz