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On March 5, 2023, Invoice Parks, the founder and president of Northwest River Provides (NRS) handed away peacefully of pure causes at St. Luke’s Hospital in Boise, Idaho, on the age of 88. He stood on the helm of the model he based for over 50 years.
NRS model launched the next assertion right this moment:
“It’s with heavy hearts stuffed with fond reminiscences, laughter, love and respect that we inform you the entire passing of Invoice Parks. Invoice was often known as a businessman, river runner, and educator, however he was foremost a humanitarian. He leaves behind a 50-year legacy of serving clients and neighborhood, folks and the planet, steadfast in his perception that enterprise could be a pressure for good on this planet.
When first beginning NRS, his enterprise philosophy was thought-about unorthodox by lots of his friends. Whereas the prevailing concept of the time held {that a} enterprise’s solely accountability was to provide revenue for its shareholders, Invoice believed that an organization may aspire to have a constructive impression on the lives of its clients and workers, and to be a pressure for good on this planet. He needed to start out his personal firm, partially, to easily show his concepts may work.
“Within the spring of 1969, Invoice discovered his means aboard a rafting journey via the Grand Canyon, an expertise that will change his life—and the out of doors business—ceaselessly. Invoice grew to become hooked on river operating, purchased a Montgomery Ward raft for $69, and talked his means onto any river journey he may discover. He noticed potential for the game to develop, and potential for a corporation to provide that sport with high quality gear and a dedication to service. In 1972, Invoice took $2,000 of his private financial savings, stocked a list of drugs in his storage and began Northwest River Provides, Inc.
“NRS grew to develop into a multi-million-dollar worldwide firm, and in 2013 Invoice started taking steps to plan for a future with out him. Invoice helped finance a deal to switch all NRS inventory to the corporate’s staff, and in early 2014 NRS grew to become 100% worker owned.”
“Invoice took pleasure in celebrating the NRS fiftieth anniversary final yr,” NRS additionally wrote within the assertion. “‘I’m proud to say that NRS is actually led by its folks,’ Parks had stated on the time. ‘Typically you guys inform me that I’m essential to the corporate, and I fake to consider it. Nevertheless it’s concerning the folks at NRS now.’”
Completely — Invoice’s legacy will stay on not solely within the whitewater neighborhood and within the paddle business, however in so many different methods. A staple NRS product, “Invoice’s Luggage” line of dry luggage, continues to be out there and extensively in style amongst paddlers right this moment.
Celebrating Invoice Parks
Like many nice manufacturers, it began with an thought. Invoice Parks began NRS with a print mail-order catalog, transport gear from his storage.
Invoice Parks based NRS in 1972, however even into his 80s, Parks was nonetheless operating the corporate, and operating rivers too.
NRS has been one of many foremost manufacturers within the paddle business for many years. NRS manufactured the primary purpose-built dry bag for boaters again in 1977, has been promoting inflatable rafts because the early ’80s, and extra lately (circa 2011) entered the inflatable SUP scene. It makes all the pieces from whitewater paddles to PFDs to wetsuits, drysuits, and extra.
Bryan Dingel, NRS’s CEO, and Todd Benson, NRS’s Chief Planning Officer, stay to steer the corporate.
