The Italian Outdoor Group (IOG) has become more open and more active in the last few months. One of its newest projects is the organization of a contest for the ‘Historical Outdoor Retailer.' The 21 member companies of the group have been invited to submit the names of the store owners who, in their opinion, have contributed the most to spread the outdoor culture in Italy. Only stores that have been in business since 1980 or before can compete for the award, which will be announced at the next Ispo show in Munich at the latest. This and other projects are being coordinated by a 32-year-old secretary general, Gerardine Parisi, who has been running the IOG since January 2011.