December 2025
Dear Paddlesports Trade Coalition Members,
As we close out another impactful year for the Paddlesports Trade Coalition (PTC), I want to take a moment to reflect on the momentum we’ve built together and to thank you for your continued support, engagement, and belief in the strength of our industry. This year marked a period of meaningful growth, strategic evolution, and renewed collaboration.
One of our most important accomplishments this year was the launch of a consistent schedule of webinars designed to better engage our membership. These sessions have created new opportunities for education, conversation, and connection across brands, retailers, outfitters, and industry partners, and they will remain a core pillar of how we serve our members moving forward.
We also took important steps to strengthen our leadership and governance. This year, we expanded our Board to include two additional Brand representatives and two additional Retailer representatives to better reflect the full scope of our industry and to help advance several key strategic initiatives currently underway. This expansion coincided with some restructuring as valued Board members stepped down and new, highly engaged leaders joined in their place. We are deeply grateful to those who served and excited about the energy and perspective our new Board members bring.
Our second annual PTC Colab event, held in conjunction with ACA Paddlefest, was another standout achievement. With over 150 attendees and an incredible lineup of guest speakers, this year’s event further strengthened relationships across the industry and reinforced the important role PTC plays in connecting and advancing paddlesports as a whole. The feedback and enthusiasm from this event have been overwhelmingly positive and continue to fuel our direction.
We were also proud to successfully plan and launch the very first Go Paddle Day—an industry-wide initiative focused on increasing awareness of and participation in paddlesports. This program represents a major step forward in growing the pipeline for our entire industry. We’re already looking ahead to the 2026 Go Paddle Day, scheduled for June 20th, with more announcements and opportunities for involvement coming soon.
Looking forward, we are excited to share that a brand-new, fully integrated PTC website and membership community hub is nearing launch. This new platform will bring our initiatives, webinars, and member resources into one convenient location, directly connected to your membership account. It will also allow us to introduce a monthly subscription model that provides even greater flexibility and accessibility for our members.
Finally, with transparency and gratitude, I want to acknowledge the resignation of our Executive Director, Jeff Turner. In alignment with our goals of financial stability and long-term sustainability, the Board made the decision to pause the Executive Director role at this time. These responsibilities will be assumed by our dedicated volunteer Board Members and supported through an expanded committee structure. If you wish to reach out to Jeff, you can contact him through his personal email address:
jeffturner.office@gmail.com
At the same time, we are proud to announce the formation of a new Board Advisory Committee, co-chaired by Jeff and myself. This committee is focused on preserving the knowledge, experience, and legacy of the many industry veterans who have stepped back from day-to-day business operations but still have so much to contribute to the future of paddlesports.
Closing Remarks and Summary
This year was defined by progress, transition, and renewed purpose. We strengthened our connections with members, expanded our leadership, launched new initiatives to grow participation in paddlesports, and laid the groundwork for an even more connected and sustainable organization moving forward. None of this would be possible without your support, engagement, and belief in what the Paddlesports Trade Coalition represents.
On behalf of the Board of Directors, thank you for being part of this journey with us. We are energized by what lies ahead and look forward to continuing to build a stronger, more unified paddlesports industry together in the year to come.
With appreciation and optimism,
Stig Larsson 
Board Chair
Paddlesports Trade Coalition