Executive Director

Parker Karnan
Karnan Associates, LLC, Woodinville, WA
parker@theirra.com

Parker founded and manages Karnan Associates, a consultancy that works closely with executives and owners of businesses to help them achieve their business vision and goals.  Karnan Associatesinvented the Specialty Retail Dashboard program, a business tool that allows reatailers to know their overall business health at-a-glance. Parker has spent most of his career in the sports industry, where he spent a number of years with Brooks Sports, Inc. While at Brooks Parker was Vice President of Sales and led US sales efforts for 4 divisions of the company. Parker received his undergraduate degree from Dartmouth College in English and holds a graduate degree from the University of San Francisco in Sports Management.  While at Dartmouth he met his wife, Miquette.  They have been married for 13 years and live with their 3 kids outside Seattle, WA.

Regional Directors

SOUTHEAST: FL, GA, NC, SC, KY, AL, LA, VA, WV, TN & MS

Steve Litschauer
On A Shoestring, Inc, Bradenton, FL
steve@onashoestringinc.com

Steve oversees the daily operations of the store since he retired in December 2007 after 35 years in Law Enforcement / Public Safety in Manatee County, Florida. He brings many years of experience in organizational management and public relations to the business.
Steve holds the following certifications: Road Runners Club of America (RRCA) – Running Coach, USA Cycling – Coach, The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society of America – Walking Coach, The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society of America – Running Coach, and FitSystem – Shoe Fitting. He also has been a Mentor (cycling, walking, running, and triathlon) for The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society of America since 2000 and has been the Chairperson and a Team Captain for American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life since 2000.
Steve has completed several half marathons and century bicycle rides over the last ten years.
Steve also holds a teaching certificate from the State of Florida. He has contributed to, and has authored, a number of articles and has presented and instructed in Sweden, Finland, Estonia, Brazil, Argentina, and Canada, as well as throughout the United States.
Steve is the President of the Suncoast Striders, Vice Chair of the Board of Directors for Manatee Chapter of the American Red Cross, Vice Chair of the Branch Board of Mangers of Bradenton YMCA, Bradenton Kiwanis, Manatee County Chamber of Commerce, Manatee County Better Business Council, and Recipient of BEALL’S Corporation’s 2002 Humanitarian of the Year Award.
On A Shoestring has won the following awards: 2009 50 Best Running Stores, 2009 Manatee Chamber of Commerce Small Business of the Year, 2011, 2010, and 2009 Bradenton Herald’s People’s Choice Award, and 2009 and 2008 South Competitor Best of Running Stores.

NORTHEAST: NY, NJ, ME, NH, VT, MA, PA, R, MD, CT, DE, NH & DC

Jenn Wohlgamuth
Mojo Running & Multisport, Pittsburgh, PA
mojo.running@gmail.com

Jenn Wohlgamuth has been in the Running Specialty business for approximately 7 years with Second Sole as an apparel buyer, director of operations and an owner.  Prior to working with Second Sole, Jenn operated a marketing company specializing in event planning.  These skills came in handy as she was able to blend her passions and interests into a very fulfilling career.  Jenn's experience both as a buyer and as an event planner will be invaluable to the IRRA Members.  Jenn will be able to present fresh ideas in both marketing and in sales that you as a retailer can use to grow your business.

SOUTHWEST: CO, TX, OK, MO, UT, AZ, NM, KS, WY & AR

John O'Neil
Colorado Running Company, Colorado Springs, CO
john@corunco.com

John O' Neil and Jeff Tarbert started their business in 2000 with the goal of putting shoes on every set of feet in the Colorado Springs area.  O'Neil says of Colorado Running Company:  "We have yet to meet our goal but we continue to try.  The competition, some think big box athletic, are really the retailers who sell a sedentary lifestyle.   We running specialty retailers sell the best commodity; a longer and more productive life." John started running in High School, as a sprinter and continued thereon pursuing this lifestyle.  From placing 5th in the Texas State High School Championships 100/220 yard events to becoming an All-Conference XC runner in California has led ro many different outlooks.  John concludes "In adulthood from being a "thought I might" to realizing I'm a "never was" makes me appreciate any customer who walks in my store with a goal."

WEST: CA, NV, HI, WA, OR, MT, ID & AK

Dave Sobolik
Fit Right NW Running & Walking, Portland, OR
dave@fitrightnw.com

Dave is the principal owner and founder of Fit Right NW Running & Walking Store located in Portland, OR and Vancouver, WA. He also is founder of the company’s Get Fit Live Fit training programs and serves as the founder/race director for the Lacamas Lake Half Marathon and 4-Mile Run and Walk.
Dave created Fit Right NW in 2000 and has been active in every aspect of the business. He’s responsible for the company vision and works strategically with his business partner, staff and corporate partners on future growth. Daily, Dave handles the company finances, marketing, HR and oversees operations.
Outside of work, Dave spends his time with his twins, Ethan and Addison, and his wife, Julie.
In addition to family time, Dave does part-time consulting and enjoys running and virtually anything outdoors. While it has been a long time since his collegiate All-American and professional track and field days, running has always been a constant in his busy life.

MID-WEST: IL, IN, OH, MN, MI, WI, SD, ND, NE & IA

Jayne Aspan
The Runner’s Soul, Elmhurst, IL
j.aspan@comcast.net

Jayne Aspan founded The Runner's Soul as a way to fulfill her long standing desire to bring an independent, locally owned running store to her hometown community of Elmhurst, IL. Jayne took up running later in life as a way to get back in shape after having her first child and quickly became hooked for life. In 1998, as an inaugural member of the Elmhurst Running Club, Jayne found a community of active runners yet realized that Elmhurst did not have a running store despite having a nationally recognized running program at York High School. Instead of returning to her career as a multi-family real estate leasing and marketing director, Jayne focused her passion, hard work and determination into successfully launching The Runner's Soul in Elmhurst, IL in 2004 followed by a second location in LaGrange, IL in 2010.
Jayne has personally completed numerous marathons, half marathons, triathlons and many other road races and has even qualified for the Boston Marathon multiple times, finally running Boston in 2010. Even though she enjoys running, Jayne especially enjoys introducing the sport of running to novice runners through her many in store programs catering to beginner and intermediate runners and even programs geared to kids. Jayne works hard to constantly engage her customers through creative themed fun runs, in-store parties, training programs and in-store seminars.
As owner of The Runner's Soul, Jayne has been an active member of the communities in which she does business, supporting dozens and dozens of charities and non-profit organizations through sponsorships and donations. Jayne is an active member of the Elmhurst Chamber of Commerce, the Elmhurst City Centre, the LaGrange Chamber of Commerce, LaGrange Business Association, and the IRRA. Jayne is married to her husband Michael, a retail real estate investor/developer for the past 19 years and has two boys.

At Large Directors

Paul Epstein
Running Wild, Pensacola, FL
paul@werunwild.com

Paul founded Running Wild in Pensacola Florida in 2000 along with his wife Cherie.  After 8 years of consistent growth and hands on management the couple was able to purchase a 6000 square foot facility, which currently houses the continually expanding retail, athlete training and race management divisions of Running Wild.  Paul received hus undergraduate degree at the University of Florida while also earning a commission in the US Army and served several years as a helicopter pilot, paratrooper and cavalry platoon leader in Desert Storm.  Paul met his wife while stationed in West Texas, they have been married for 12 years and live in Pensacola with their three daughters.

Jeremy Perlin
Fleet Feet Sports, Cincinnati, OH
jfperlin@me.com

Jeremy Perlin has been active as a runner and athlete since joining the cross country team in junior high school. He, along with his wife and business partner, Susan Frankel, opened Fleet Feet Sports in Cincinnati, OH in the fall of 2001. The store has grown every year since its opening and has been recognized as one of the 50 Best Running Stores in America every year that this designation has been awarded by Formula 4 Media/the Competitor Group.
Jeremy is passionate about helping people. It is his goal to provide every individual who comes through the doors of Fleet Feet Sports Cincinnati a customer service experience that exceeds their expectations. While on the floor fitting customers, Jeremy is often heard saying, “I want to get to know you and your feet.” This encompasses his strong belief in establishing long-term relationships with customers that go well beyond selling particular products or fitting someone into a particular pair of shoes.
Prior to opening Fleet Feet Sports Cincinnati, Jeremy was an attorney and worked at a number of member-based trade associations in both Washington D.C. and Chicago, IL. Jeremy has previously served on not-for-profit boards, including the National Runaway Switchboard and the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, Tri-State Chapter. Jeremy and Susan have been married for 15 years and have two children, Eli ad Gabriel, and two dogs, Gus and Wrigley.

Mark Rouse,
Partner at Runners High n Tri, Arlington Heights, IL
runrshigh@aol.com

Prior to opening the store 20 years ago, Mark served 10 years on the Ann Arbor, Michigan Police Dept. A veteran marathon runner, Mark has also completed the Hawaiian Ironman World Championships 6 times. Mark was an Arlington Heights 'Heart of Gold" winner in 2010, awarded annually to the top city business person. Mark is married to Pom and they have one daughter , Kaitlyn.

Susie Stein
Up and Running Dayton, Dayton, OH
susiestein@woh.rr.com

After almost 20 years in industrial sales, with 5 of those years as COO of the company, Susie moved into a new field, the running industry.
Susie began running in her mid 30s and due to her sister’s influence became a marathoner at the age of 40. Her first marathons were as a part of Team In Training, a great organization and an easy way to get beginners involved. In the midst of learning a new sport, she realized that the new runner and walker were not being targeted in this market, and so began the evolution of Up and Running. A few years of training in other stores, a bank loan and a bunch of support from friends and we now have Up and Running! If she isn’t in the store, she is training on a bike, in a pool, on the trails or the roads…trying to keep up with the rest of the people at UAR. Or you might see her chasing/keeping up with her nieces around the store.
The continued growth and support for new athlete in the Dayton, Ohio area is the main goal at Up and Running in Dayton.

IRRA Management

Mark Sullivan
Great Neck, NY
mark@theirra.com
As a business journalist, Mark Sullivan has covered specialty running stores for more than 20 years. He has been a writer and editor for SportStyle, Footwear News and Sporting Goods Business. In 2005 along with three partners, he founded Formula 4 Media, LLC, which publishes the Running Insight newsletter and owns The Running Event expo and conference. Mark has a journalism degree from Syracuse University and lives in New Jersey with his wife Gwen and two children, Devlin, 7 and Claire, 4.

Jeff Nott
Great Neck, NY
jeff@theirra.com

IRRA Membership

Kris Gill
kris@theirra.com