Shapiro visits Gilson Snow in Selinsgrove, launches Pennsylvania Outdoor Business Alliances

Mar. 20—SELINSGROVE — Gilson Snow founders celebrated their return to business following a devastating fire with a visit from Gov. Josh Shapiro on Wednesday.

The snowboard manufacturer established in 2013 by Nick Gilson and Austin Royer reopened in October at 100 E. Sherman St. in Selinsgrove after a fire burned down their Winfield plant in November 2022.

"We are back and bigger than ever," said Gilson of the company's continued production of snowboards and skis that are shipped to more than 40 countries and plan to begin producing wakeboards used in water sports.

Lauding the company's success following a tour of the plant, Shapiro announced the launch of the Pennsylvania Outdoor Business Alliance to help make the state a national leader in outdoor recreation and job creation by offering a one-stop shop for business-related questions, such as permits and regulations, as well as opportunities for businesses to collaborate.

"We want to invest in businesses that make the outdoors more accessible and fun," the governor said.

In Pennsylvania, outdoor recreation infuses $17 billion every year into the economy and supports 164,000 jobs.

"Pennsylvania's parks and forests, mountains and lakes, trails and rivers are the roots of our outdoor industry, and from them our economic prosperity and wellbeing can grow," said state Department of Conservation and Natural Resources Secretary Cindy Adams Dunn.

"The outdoor industry is much larger, more diversified, and more advanced than meets the eye — it includes producers like Gilson Snow, providers of outdoor experiences, and a host of professionals," said Pennsylvania Director of Outdoor Recreation Nathan Reigner. "This new alliance will be there to advocate for them and what they need so that the commonwealth can better support their business and Pennsylvania's outdoor economy."

Gilson Snow employs 30 and partners with the nonprofit Pittsburgh-based Outdoor Inclusion Coalition to expose youth to career opportunities in production, design, marketing and management at the company and build community through the outdoors.

"In Pennsylvania, we have an impressive economic ecosystem that was critical in helping us rebuild after losing our facility to a massive fire in 2022, and this ecosystem continues to support our vision for broadening access to the outdoors," said Gilson. "Our business is thriving on a national and global level because of the resources and partnerships we have right here in the commonwealth."

Gilson uses local resources to create their boards and maintain the plant equipment, including Pennsylvania poplar trees that are grown and processed in Pennsylvania and the ink used in the boards' designs.

"Our goal is to keep everything close to home," he said.