Ryan DionneSHARE
With more than 26 years of industry experience, Bill Nicoll understood that building relationships and helping each other is crucial to growing the ski industry.
“He understood the health of the industry was more than any one brand or any one dealer,” says Mike Dowse, Amer Sports Americas president and general manager.
“It’s a sad day in the industry to lose someone like that,” says Dave Nacke, Salomon’s national sales manager.
Nicoll died Wednesday, Feb. 1 from complications following a heart attack. He was 53.
In those 53 years, he worked on behalf of retailers at Recreational Buying Specialists, a now defunct buying group, worked with retailers and reps as Head’s eastern sales manager and later Nordica’s eastern sales vice president, and then as sales director for K2. He also was Salomon’s vice president and then, until recently, the brand’s hardgoods vice president.
“I remember a guy who was extremely hard working; really attentive to detail; a guy you could count on to get stuff done,” says Tim Petrick, president of the Rossignol group and former global sales leader at K2.
Petrick, who hired Nicoll at K2, says the husband and father of two young men was committed to the sport and knew how to balance work and play.
But more importantly, one thing most of his former colleagues will remember is his remarkable ability to make others feel comfortable.
“He was definitely one of those genuinely good guys you enjoyed being around,” says Brian Good, Buckman’s Ski Shops operations director and hardgoods buyer.
Good knew Nicoll for more than 20 years and says the sales guru was never pushy. Every time the two men sat down to negotiate business, Good felt comfortable and wasn’t intimidated.
But he was a great negotiator, says Tom Gately, Snowsports Merchandising Corp.’s president.
Gately worked with Nicoll for about 25 years-when they were both at competing buying groups yet co-producing tradeshows.
“I always thought him to be fair and professional,” Gately says. He was a real gentleman with a strong work ethic.
“(He) understood that people are more important than business,” Petrick says.
“He could probably go into any state in any specialty store, and they’d probably know Bill,” Dowse says.
To share stories and honor Nicoll, family and friends are organizing a memorial gathering at Stratton Mountain Ski Resort on Wednesday, Feb. 8 at 8 a.m. Friends and family can catch first chair, meet at the top to share stories, then take a run in honor of an industry friend and leader before the demo begins.
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I worked closely with Bill on our new Salomon concept store. It was through that process that we became good friends. I was shocked and deeply saddened to hear of his passing. The article and video is a very nice piece on Bill, his motivations and importantly, his character. The industry has lost a very good person and outstanding individual.
With sad regards, Andy Wirth, President & CEO of Squaw Valley and Alpine Meadows
I worked with Bill over the years in many of his capacities and he was always a gentleman. Too young a man to pass on! Warm wishes to his family and associates. John Hutchinson, Fontana Sports, Madison, WI
Wow, This just took the wind out of my Sail. There was a group of us that started selling wholesale all around the same time Bill went into Hard goods and I went into Clothing but we always would talk at the shows to compare comments and ideas about the industry we basically grew up in. He will be deeply missed.
My prayers and thoughts to his family
Paul Phillips
I did not know Bill Nicoll well, but from a retailer's perspective he will be greatly missed. I feel very fortunate that I was able to meet and make some turns with him at the BBR tour finale at Alta last year. My regrets to his family and close friends.
Bill always had a smile on his face and a friendly word for all who knew him. He was instrumental in our success with K2 at Bob Ward and Sons and he was an early and strong supporter of the Nation's Best Sports Winter Market. He always put the friendship and relationship before the business in importance and that was the secret to his success. Bill was a great skier and I will always cherish the way too few runs we skied together. My thoughts and prayers are with his family and friends. The sadness will diminish but he will always be remembered. Keith Dustrud, Bob Ward & Sons, Missoula, MT and NBS
Bill and his family were friends for over 35 years. Bill's brother was a Tech Rep at Rossignol when I was a tech rep at Salomon. His sister Debbie, assisted me in the intro of the Salomon boot. At the time Bill was still a teenager in High school. When he came on to the Mid-Atlantic scene as a Tech rep for Rossignol we all knew from the beginning that he had a few unique qualites. He was instantly liked by all that met him. More importantly, as he moved up the industry ladder, he was respected and trusted by all. Bill will be missed as a peer, a fellow Rep, and most of all, as a friend.
Bill and I go back a long way. I knew Bill when I was a buyer for another shop and we were a member of the RBS buying group back in the early 80's. Later when I opened my own store, he was instrumental with me getting K2.
I'm now a member of (NBS) Nation's Best Sports buying group, which Bill and his companies always supported. He was one of those who could put the friendship into working but knew the importance of business and still get his point accross. He always looked for a way that satisfied both parties. I'll always remember the few runs we skied together at demo days and the few meals we had together. My thoughts are with his family and friends as these things are never easy. I hope he's on his favorite slope on that perfect powder day with blue skies. RIP Bill, we'll miss you.
Rick Pasturczak, Alpine Accessories, Lake in the Hills, IL
Bill and I worked for K2 at the time I met him. Since I was on the graphic side of things at Ride Snowboards and Bill on the sales side at K2, we didn't work directly with each other but we did cross paths from time to time in the building, at Sales Meetings and Tradeshows. When Bill and his family moved from Washington, it was then that our paths crossed again during and SIA Denver Meeting (I was standing watching the filming of the video above that Bill spoke in). Bill always cared for the sake of the snow business and those who loved it. Truly to young to be taken from us. RIP and my thoughts go out to his family. Styk, Dept of Energy Design - Seattle, WA
This is very sad news about Bill. I worked with Bill for a number of years at K2 where he was a good friend and partner. I have a great photo in my office taken of reps and dealers attending the K2 MOD Dealer Intro in January 2000 in Whistler. I remember Bill had a big part of that event where the best specialty retailers in America tried out the latest K2 ski technology. Bill not only had the best relationships in the industry, he was a very dedicated family man. He was first class and will be missed by all. My sincere condolences to Deb and the boys.
I coached Bill's kids in lacrosse and got to know his family while they lived on Vashon. He was a great guy and this community is certainly mourning his passing.
Bill always had a big smile yearly smile for me at the annual Sia shows. Ski runs at Mt. Bachelor's Ski Magazine boot test were a blast the time Bill came to see what all the hype was about. He never stopped smiling even when skiing boots that didn't fit him. I wish I could make it to Stratton for the last ski run for Bill. Though it will never be Bills last ski run, his arcing big fat turns in the puffy cloud above. Bill, you will be missed. Go in peace my ski brother.
Such a sad day when I heard Bill had passed. We worked together at Nordica, Bill in the East and me in the Southwest. When things didn't work out with the Bennaton buyout I resigned and was called by Bill within 24 hrs. to come to work with K2. It was very exciting having a good friend and man I really looked up to asking me to work with him on the MOD launch. He was an honest, sensitive sales manager alsways looking out for the companies botom line but in turn making sure the dealers felt they were dealt a fare program buying our skis. He loved the business but under all that his family came first and thats what really mattered. Bill, you were one of the best. Miss you.
I only knew Bill for the 4 years he was with Salomon in the Ogden headquarters. As the Director of Credit, usually you will find the sales management at odds with the credit folks - not Bill. He understood the business, the risks necessary to be successful, but also the pitfalls of having too much invested in risking accounts receivable.
Bill was without a doubt one of the good guys. I understand the skiing where you are now is heavenly.
I didn't know Bill well, only briefly met him last Oct. at OIA Rendezvous. The presenter of a breakout group asked everyone in the room to introduce themselves to the person next to them to. Through our introduction, we learned that we shared Nicoll as a surname. We shared stories of lifelong name mispronounciations & misspellings, our careers in the industry, as well as a few laughs. Through our conversation, it was clear that he had a great deal of expereince in the outdoor industry and enjoyed his role at Salomon. I was saddened to hear of his passing, and my thoughts and prayers go out to his wife & children, as well as his extended network of colleagues, friends and family.
I am proud to have known Bill professionally and personally. In all my experience with him I found him to be genuine and the kind of personality I preferred working with. Even random run-ins with Bill were great and his interest in what I was up to and how things were going he always had time to offer feedback and guidance when asked. I join all those who mourn his passing, and will continue to celebrate his memory and example.
Yesterday we celebrated the life of Bill Nicoll with a crowd of industry friends during the on-snow trade show. Everyone gathered on the deck at the top of Stratton mountain at 8 am, and listened to people speak about Bill, on a day he would have loved, with no wind and bright blue skies. Then we all skied down together behind Bill's photograph on perfect corduroy snow in the crisp morning air. It was a truly amazing show of unity. I remember hiking and traversing along the ridge at Snow Basin behind Bill, and he turned and said "Come on, Cath, I'll find a good line for us through the trees where the powder will be fresh." That was a great day.
I was with Bill at his home in the middle of January. We were sitting around the new firepit his son Chris and Bill had built. Awesome night. There had been a change at work and I was just finding out. He was Bill …..
smile on his face and as even as they come. I looked up to my little brother … and knew how much he truly cared about the people in his industry .. and most of all Deb and the kids. As I was leaving we hugged and he said " I'm glad I don't have to worry about things" which I thought odd under the circumstances. We miss him deeply.