William S. Nicolai
Encyclopedia
William S. "Bill" Nicolai is an American
business
man. He was the founder of Early Winters
, an outdoor equipment manufacturer and catalog retailer.
Early Winters, begun in 1974, was the result of Nicolai's invention of an integrated, double-wall mountaineering
tent
called "The Omnipotent." The Omnipotent's design came to Nicolai after a conventional A-frame tent with separate rain fly was destroyed by a storm in the North Cascades
of Washington State. Nicolai almost died in the incident.
In 1976, Early Winters developed the world's first product made from Gore-Tex
fabrics. This was a tent named by Ron Zimmerman, vice-president of marketing, the "Light Dimension." Sales of this innovative product allowed the company to grow rapidly. It soon developed other uses for Gore-Tex such as rain jackets and sleeping bag covers. The company's ground-breaking marketing via catalogs led it to be named Catalog of the Year by the Direct Marketing Association
. Early Winters was sold to the Orvis
company of Manchester, Vermont. It is now part of the Norm Thompson group in Portland, Oregon
.
After Early Winters, Nicolai operated Nicolai and Associates, a direct marketing consulting group whose clients included J. Peterman, Smith and Hawken and other well known catalog firms, for whom his innovative approach was instrumental in their rapid growth and success.
In 1992 he co-founded the Good Catalog Company and grew it to over $25 million in annual sales before selling the firm to Reader's Digest
in 1999.
For many years Bill Nicolai was also a competitive sailplane pilot. He made the 12th successful ascent of Mount Sir Sandford
in the Canadian North Selkirk Mountains
with Ron Zimmerman and Brian Berry, brother of Jan Berry of the United States musical group, Jan and Dean
. Nicolai's athletic feats also included the first-ever attempt to ski the Ptarmigan Traverse
in the North Cascades in 1977 with Steve Barnett. His attentions later turned to Ironman Triathlon
competitions and long distance running
and cycling
.
In 1998, Bill joined the partnership of Lenser and Associates, which was started by his colleague John Lenser, who founded San Francisco Music Box company. In the early years of Lenser and Associates, Mr. Nicolai became an innovative force behind the development of Co-Op Databases in terms of their effectiveness and usability within the direct marketing and catalog industry.
Today Nicolai is senior managing partner of the same firm, now called LENSER, based in San Rafael CA. He continues to reside in the state of Washington.
Bill often directs LENSER's larger scale consulting projects and assists in developing the firm's service and product offerings, including their trigger-based email and website products.
Nicolai is author of numerous articles published in Catalog Age, now Multichannel Merchant, and other marketing journals. He is a frequent speaker at the Annual Direct Marketing Association and ACCM conferences, as well as giving Webinar courses in conjunction with Multichannel Merchant's MCM LIVE! series.
He attended the University of Washington
, but did not graduate. He was selected to participate in an intensive course at the Harvard School of Business.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
business
Business
A business is an organization engaged in the trade of goods, services, or both to consumers. Businesses are predominant in capitalist economies, where most of them are privately owned and administered to earn profit to increase the wealth of their owners. Businesses may also be not-for-profit...
man. He was the founder of Early Winters
Early Winters
Early Winters, Ltd. of Seattle, Washington, USA was founded in 1972 by William S. Nicolai, who formed the company after creating a tent called the Omnipotent. Early Winters was the first company to create and sell a consumer product made with Gore-Tex laminates produced by W.L. Gore & Associates...
, an outdoor equipment manufacturer and catalog retailer.
Early Winters, begun in 1974, was the result of Nicolai's invention of an integrated, double-wall mountaineering
Mountaineering
Mountaineering or mountain climbing is the sport, hobby or profession of hiking, skiing, and climbing mountains. While mountaineering began as attempts to reach the highest point of unclimbed mountains it has branched into specialisations that address different aspects of the mountain and consists...
tent
Tent
A tent is a shelter consisting of sheets of fabric or other material draped over or attached to a frame of poles or attached to a supporting rope. While smaller tents may be free-standing or attached to the ground, large tents are usually anchored using guy ropes tied to stakes or tent pegs...
called "The Omnipotent." The Omnipotent's design came to Nicolai after a conventional A-frame tent with separate rain fly was destroyed by a storm in the North Cascades
North Cascades
The North Cascades are a section of the Cascade Range of western North America. They span the border between the Canadian province of British Columbia and the U.S. state of Washington and are officially named in Canada as the Cascade Mountains...
of Washington State. Nicolai almost died in the incident.
In 1976, Early Winters developed the world's first product made from Gore-Tex
Gore-Tex
Gore-Tex is a waterproof/breathable fabric, and a registered trademark of W. L. Gore and Associates. It was co-invented by Wilbert L. Gore, Rowena Taylor, and Gore's son, Robert W. Gore. Robert Gore was granted on April 27, 1976, for a porous form of polytetrafluoroethylene with a...
fabrics. This was a tent named by Ron Zimmerman, vice-president of marketing, the "Light Dimension." Sales of this innovative product allowed the company to grow rapidly. It soon developed other uses for Gore-Tex such as rain jackets and sleeping bag covers. The company's ground-breaking marketing via catalogs led it to be named Catalog of the Year by the Direct Marketing Association
Direct Marketing Association
Direct Marketing Associations are national trade organizations that seek to advance all forms of direct marketing.- International Federation of Direct Marketing Associations :...
. Early Winters was sold to the Orvis
Orvis
Orvis is a family-owned retail and mail-order business specializing in high-end fly fishing, hunting and sporting goods. Founded in Manchester, Vermont in 1856 by Charles F. Orvis to sell fishing tackle, the company has changed hands only twice and has had only five CEOs in its 150-year history...
company of Manchester, Vermont. It is now part of the Norm Thompson group in Portland, Oregon
Portland, Oregon
Portland is a city located in the Pacific Northwest, near the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2010 Census, it had a population of 583,776, making it the 29th most populous city in the United States...
.
After Early Winters, Nicolai operated Nicolai and Associates, a direct marketing consulting group whose clients included J. Peterman, Smith and Hawken and other well known catalog firms, for whom his innovative approach was instrumental in their rapid growth and success.
In 1992 he co-founded the Good Catalog Company and grew it to over $25 million in annual sales before selling the firm to Reader's Digest
Reader's Digest
Reader's Digest is a general interest family magazine, published ten times annually. Formerly based in Chappaqua, New York, its headquarters is now in New York City. It was founded in 1922, by DeWitt Wallace and Lila Bell Wallace...
in 1999.
For many years Bill Nicolai was also a competitive sailplane pilot. He made the 12th successful ascent of Mount Sir Sandford
Mount Sir Sandford
Mount Sir Sandford is the highest mountain of the Sir Sandford Range and of the Big Bend Ranges of the Selkirk Mountains in southwestern British Columbia, Canada. It is the 12th highest peak in the province. The mountain was named after Sir Sandford Fleming, a railway engineer for the Canadian...
in the Canadian North Selkirk Mountains
Selkirk Mountains
The Selkirk Mountains are a mountain range spanning the northern portion of the Idaho Panhandle, eastern Washington, and southeastern British Columbia. They begin at Mica Peak near Coeur d'Alene, Idaho and extend approximately 320 km north from the border. The range is bounded on its west,...
with Ron Zimmerman and Brian Berry, brother of Jan Berry of the United States musical group, Jan and Dean
Jan and Dean
Jan and Dean were a rock and roll duo, popular from the late 1950s through the mid 1960s, consisting of William Jan Berry and Dean Ormsby Torrence...
. Nicolai's athletic feats also included the first-ever attempt to ski the Ptarmigan Traverse
Ptarmigan Traverse
The Ptarmigan Traverse is a famous alpine hiking route in Washington State's North Cascades. The route, from Cascade Pass to Dome Peak, is generally remote, unmarked, and challenging.-History:...
in the North Cascades in 1977 with Steve Barnett. His attentions later turned to Ironman Triathlon
Ironman Triathlon
An Ironman Triathlon is one of a series of long-distance triathlon races organized by the World Triathlon Corporation consisting of a swim, a bike and a marathon run, raced in that order and without a break...
competitions and long distance running
Running
Running is a means of terrestrial locomotion allowing humans and other animals to move rapidly on foot. It is simply defined in athletics terms as a gait in which at regular points during the running cycle both feet are off the ground...
and cycling
Cycling
Cycling, also called bicycling or biking, is the use of bicycles for transport, recreation, or for sport. Persons engaged in cycling are cyclists or bicyclists...
.
In 1998, Bill joined the partnership of Lenser and Associates, which was started by his colleague John Lenser, who founded San Francisco Music Box company. In the early years of Lenser and Associates, Mr. Nicolai became an innovative force behind the development of Co-Op Databases in terms of their effectiveness and usability within the direct marketing and catalog industry.
Today Nicolai is senior managing partner of the same firm, now called LENSER, based in San Rafael CA. He continues to reside in the state of Washington.
Bill often directs LENSER's larger scale consulting projects and assists in developing the firm's service and product offerings, including their trigger-based email and website products.
Nicolai is author of numerous articles published in Catalog Age, now Multichannel Merchant, and other marketing journals. He is a frequent speaker at the Annual Direct Marketing Association and ACCM conferences, as well as giving Webinar courses in conjunction with Multichannel Merchant's MCM LIVE! series.
He attended the University of Washington
University of Washington
University of Washington is a public research university, founded in 1861 in Seattle, Washington, United States. The UW is the largest university in the Northwest and the oldest public university on the West Coast. The university has three campuses, with its largest campus in the University...
, but did not graduate. He was selected to participate in an intensive course at the Harvard School of Business.