Gilson Snow

Gilson Snow was founded in 2013 out of the classroom by Nick Gilson (CEO) and Austin Royer (COO) in Nashville, Tennessee. Both Gilson and Royer were working as middle school science teachers, (Gilson through Teach For America) when they created year-long "curiosity projects" with their students. Gilson and Royer led an example project, out of which the first Gilson prototype was born.{{cite web |title=Failing To Learn |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bFvgujCC8XA |website=YouTube |publisher=TedxBucknellUniversity}} They relocated to a donkey and horse stable in Winfield, Pennsylvania later that year to build the company with limited resources. During this time, the early Gilson team lived in a cabin in the woods with no running water or electricity, hiking out each day to their makeshift factory in the stable. A year later, the growing team moved their headquarters down the road to the 17-acre farm that now holds their current manufacturing facility.{{cite web |title=Small Business Spotlight: Gilson Boards |url=https://dced.pa.gov/paproudblog/small-business-spotlight-gilson-boards/ |website=Department of Community & Economic Development}} This is also where they host their annual "Summer Snow Day", a free summer festival with music, food and beverage trucks, games, and snowboarding.{{cite web |last1=Scicchitano |first1=Eric |title=Summer Snowcase: Gilson Boards to host July snowboarding festival |url=https://www.dailyitem.com/news/local_news/summer-snowcase-gilson-boards-to-host-july-snowboarding-festival/article_2c6de080-50dd-5760-bbf8-6c9d5f9c43a3.html |website=Daily Item}}

Gilson skis and snowboards are known for their proprietary fluid dynamics-inspired design and their notable collaboration artwork.{{cite news |last1=Epsom |first1=Paul |last2=Lewandoski |first2=Jackie |title=Snowboards of Union County-Gilson Snow, Inc. |url=https://wnep.com/2019/02/02/snowboards-of-snyder-county-gilson-snow-inc/ |date=February 2, 2019}}

Nick Gilson created the "soft edge" after observing that all objects moving through a fluid, e.g. boats and planes, are curved to maximize efficiency. Gilson grew up surfing and sailing which inspired his initial design.{{cite web |last1=Jensen |first1=Brennen |title=Q&A with Nicholas Gilson, Founder and CEO of Gilson Snowboards |url=https://hub.jhu.edu/magazine/2016/winter/nicholas-gilson-founder-ceo-gilson-snowboards/ |website=Johns Hopkins Magazine}} Their signature Pow Channel (raised central region) design was influenced by the advantages of the catamaran over mono-hulled boats, and reduces contact with the snow's surface, in turn reducing drag.{{cite web |last1=Reimers |first1=Frederick |title=Ride American: The Best Boutique American-Made Ski and Snowboards |url=https://www.outsideonline.com/1927756/ride-american-best-boutique-american-made-ski-and-snowboards |website=Outside Online}} The soft edge allows for a 'floating' feeling on top of the snow and minimizes hang-ups or edge-to-feature contact while the SuperFlex makes it easier to lock down presses and snap on or off rails.{{cite web | title=Provisions 003: Products we are stoked on this week |url=https://snowboardmag.com/stories/provisions/provisions-003-products-stoked-week |website=Snowboard Magazine}}

• AC/DC
• Roman Atwood
• Major League Baseball
• Michael Bay
• Anheuser-Busch for Bud Light
• DogFish Head Brewery
• Keith Carlos
• Royal Australian Air Force
• Pink Floyd{{cite web |title=Pink Floyd Wish You Were Here |url=https://gilsonsnow.com/snowboards/pink-floyd-wish-you-were-here |website=Gilson Snow |access-date=24 June 2021}}
• Joel Freeman
• Colorado Army National Guard - High-Altitude Army National Guard Aviation Training Site
• Hasbro
• National Hockey League
• Mario Lemieux
• Monopoly
• My Little Pony
• Phil Smage of Smage Brothers Riding Shows{{cite web |title=Smagical |url=https://gilsonsnow.com/snowboards/smagical |website=Gilson Snow |access-date=24 June 2021}}
• Rawlings (company)
• Superdry
• Transformers
• Tröegs
• Woodstock

Gilson Snow has appeared in mainstream media including Outside, Bloomberg Businessweek, PBS, The Price Is Right, and NPR.{{citation needed|date=September 2020}}

Ranked in Outside{{'}}s Favorite Brands Born in America"{{citation needed|date=September 2020}}

Ranked #1 Snowboard Brand by ReddyYeti{{cite web |title=Top 20 Snowboard Brands |url=https://www.reddyyeti.com/blog/top-snowboard-brands |website=ReddyYeti}}

Young Entrepreneur of the Year, 2018 - Small Business Administration - Philadelphia & Eastern PA{{cite web |title=SBA Names Eastern Pa. 2018 Young Entrepreneur of Year |url=https://content.govdelivery.com/accounts/USSBA/bulletins/1ec91c2}}

Ranked in "The Best Boutique American-Made Skis and Snowboards" by Outside{{cite web |last1=Reimers |first1=Frederick |title=Ride American: The Best Boutique American-Made Ski and Snowboards |url=https://www.outsideonline.com/1927756/ride-american-best-boutique-american-made-ski-and-snowboards |website=Outside Online}}

Product Innovation Award for "the company that best demonstrates the commercialization of a unique, innovative, product that creatively and effectively meets a market need" from Ben Franklin Technology Partners{{cite web |title=Ben Franklin announces iXchange award winners |url=https://nep.benfranklin.org/ben-franklin-ixchange-430-pm-may-21/ |website=Ben Franklin Technology Partners}}

Innovation in New Product Development Award, 2015, from the Bucknell University Small Business Development Center (SBDC).{{cite web |title=Bucknell SBDC Hosts Celebration of Small Business |url=http://www.pasbdc.org/about-us/news/2015/07/27/bucknell-university-sbdc-hosts-annual-celebration-of-small-business}}

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Companies

Category:Sporting goods manufacturers of the United States

Category:Ski equipment manufacturers

Category:Companies based in Union County, Pennsylvania