We are sorry to report that a good friend of Team insight and to many others in the sporting goods industry, Gary Niland from Schutt Sports, passed away last week. Niland, pictured above with speaker Jen Welter at the 2019 NSGA Management Conference, joined Schutt Sports in 2005 as VP-sales and was president of Gary Niland and Associates and of the Sporting Goods Agents Association. His obituary reads, in part:

Garrett William Niland, 68, of Ashland (MA) and formerly Hopkinton, passed away peacefully at Metrowest Medical Center in Framingham surrounded by his loving family. Born in Boston, he was the son of the late Nancy (Norton) and George Niland. He was the beloved husband of 43 years to Jean (Caldaroni) Niland.

Gary attended Framingham State University. Gary was inducted into the Framingham State Athletic Hall of Fame in 1995 for his football achievements and stayed involved in the school’s football community until his passing.

Gary was a man of character and integrity who never compromised his principles as he ascended the corporate ladder, holding various management positions and owning his own sales agency. Gary took the lessons from the football field and applied them to his everyday life — set your goals, work hard to achieve them, do the right thing and treat everyone with respect. He was absolutely respected by all who he came into contact with because he was a straight shooter. He never forgot who he was, he never forgot where he came from and he always took care of his own.

Besides his wife, Gary is survived by his children, Christopher Niland and wife Abby (Francis) Niland of Hopkinton, Matthew Niland and wife Courtney (Day) Niland of Franklin, Kara Salvucci and husband, Scott Salvucci of Franklin and Molly Niland. Gary also leaves behind his five loving grandchildren, Grayson, Declan and Merrigan Niland, and Ryan and Connor Salvucci. He is survived by his siblings, Christina Joyce, Sharon Toomey, Bernadette Driscoll, Jacqueline Bates, Donna McGillvray, William Niland and Nancy Warfield as well as their spouses. He also leaves behind mother-in-law Marie Caldaroni and sister-in-law Judith Carr and her husband. Lastly, Gary is survived by an abundance of nieces and nephews. He is predeceased by brother George Niland and father-in-law Anthony Caldaroni.

Editor’s Note: I spent a lot of time with Gary over the many years, both back when he ran his sales agency and later in his years with Schutt Sports. We always met up at the team buying group shows and he always had time to talk about sports and sporting goods. We also spent many hours as members of the NSGA Sporting Goods Hall of Fame Committee, where his insight and compassion contributed greatly to the Committee’s mission. Truly one of the good guys. — Mike Jacobsen