Submit Your Running Specialty Hall of Fame Nomination by February 9th

Accordingly, we encourage RIA members and non-members alike to nominate those they feel are worthy of the honor. The Hall of Fame committee, consisting of past inductees and current industry professionals, will review the nominations and select one person from each of the three Hall of Fame categories: Retail, Brand, and Industry Influencer.  

Hall of Fame Categories

• Retail nominees -  those who have worked as an independent run specialty retailer.
• Brand nominees - those who have worked for a brand, or brands within the running industry.
• Industry Influencer nominees - those whose contributions have had a direct and positive impact on the success of the run specialty channel. For example, a media professional whose focus has been on run specialty would be eligible. Simply being a famous runner would not qualify unless that person also engaged in the commerce of run specialty.

Eligibility 

Candidates must have a minimum of 20 years of being directly involved with the run specialty channel. Current or past membership in the RIA is not a requirement for eligibility.

Qualifications

Nominations must include a detailed explanation of a candidate's qualifications that include at least one of the following criteria:  

• Has the nominee innovated in ways that positively impacted the run specialty channel?
• Was the nominee a leader or ground-breaker within the run specialty channel? 
• Did the nominee foster collaboration/connection within the run specialty channel?  
• Did the nominee offer support to their peers, customers, or the run specialty channel in general? 

Exceptions to Eligibility Criteria

Candidates that have been involved with the run specialty channel less than 20 years, but who have had a profound and positive impact on the channel, can be eligible for induction. However, nomination must include a detailed explanation for why the candidate merits waiving the twenty year rule.

2026 Induction Ceremony

We’re looking forward to celebrating our 2026 Hall of Fame inductees during our open night event for the RIA Summit on Monday, May 18th in Atlanta. .

Nomination Form

Please be sure to review the current members of the Hall of Fame before you submit and note that you may provide more than one nomination. The deadline for submissions is Monday, February 9th. Thank you in advance for your participation!

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