Staff

+ Tim Farmer, Owner

Tim Farmer is a life-long resident of the Concord, New Hampshire area who has been lucky enough to have the same great job since he was 13 years old. Tim began his career in the retail sporting goods industry working at S&W Sports, a small bike shop in Concord. He swept floors, removed the trash, and cleaned and assisted building bikes. He worked hard, learning every day but he was also getting paid and he loved his job. Tim committed to staying at S&W, working alongside the owners and fellow employees, gaining knowledge in all aspects of the business. Between 1982 and 1988, Tim was instrumental in bringing the BMX and Skateboard departments to S&W. Always respectful of the owner, Tim worked with Steve Wareing to introduce new ideas. He understood the importance of merchandising and offering the newest and best equipment. His passion for these sports and his forethought for adding them to S&W’s lines helped the store become one of the largest skateboard shops in New Hampshire. Snowboards, and alpine ski equipment came into the store in the mid 1980’s alongside S&W’s main stable, bicycle and Nordic ski gear.

Tim’s goal at age 18 was to become an owner of the business – he never wavered and made his dream come true in 1998.

Since the late 1990's, S&W has grown. In 2007, it became one of the largest bike, ski and snowboard retail and service shops in New Hampshire, operating in three store fronts all located within a block of the main store. Managing those three spaces became an efficiency issue so in 2007, after a long search for a new space, S&W Sports combined the three locations into one building on South Main Street in Concord.

Along with his work at S&W Tim Farmer is a contributor to the community in the following ways:

• 2011 NH Small Business Person of the Year by the Small Business Association of America. Met with all 50 winners in our nations capital.
• Member of Better Business Bureau of Concord, 1998-present
• Member of Concord Chamber of Commerce, 2000-present
• Member of “Peddling for Payson” fundraiser, 2007-present
• Board of Directors for the Concord YMCA, 2010
• Member of Main Street Concord, 2008-present
• Vice President of Non-Profit “Green Concord,” 2010-2012. Member of “Green Concord, 2007-2017
• Board member of Concord’s Transportation Policy Advisory Committee (TPAC), 2007-2014. Members of this volunteer organization work to identify and promote Concord as a bicycle friendly city.
• Founding member – one of two founders, of Central N.H. Bicycling Coalition, a non-profit for bike safety in New Hampshire, 2008-present
• Citizen of the Year Award from the Central New Hampshire Regional Planning Commission, 2010
• Member of National Bicycle Dealers Association, 2007-present
• Member of Bicycle League of America, 2007- present
• Received Advocacy Leadership Award from Trek Bicycles, 2010
• Hosted a number of community bicycle safety, basic repair classes for new bicyclists as well as local refugees, 2007-present
• Donated new bikes for fund raising events for Bike–Walk Alliance of New Hampshire, The American Heart Association & other non-profit organizations, 2007-present
• Donated refurbished bicycles to refugees and local population in need of assistance, 2007-present

tim@swsports.net

+ Rick Hohenberger, General Manager/Owner

Rick began his journey with S&W Sports in the year 2006 right before the store moved to its current location. His experience with the bicycle industry began in 1997 working in bike shops all over New England including Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Vermont, and New Hampshire. Rick is the Sales Manager at S&W Sports. His work doesn’t stop there though; he also assists in the bike buying and is the store’s roof rack specialist. In Rick’s free time he can be found mountain biking, snowboarding, and enjoying an occasional round of golf. In the future he hopes to drive across country to explore the nation.

rick@swsports.net

+ Dan Mutz, Master Mechanic/Suspension Technician

Dan Joined the team in May 2019, you can find him out back handling service, repairs, and suspension work. Dan loves to fatbike year round--"because fat bikes ARE mountain bikes!" His favorite places to ride are"Fatbike City" trails in Alton during the winter, in the summer and fall it's Highland, but If Dan could choose anywhere it would be the descent from Rainy Pass to Rohn in AK.

+ Bryan Philbrook, Bike Technician

Do you bike, board, and/or ski?

Bike

What is one thing you want to do before your die?

Bike

Where’s your favorite spot to eat?

Beer...on bike

If you could rename yourself, what name would you pick?

Lord Beard of Reggaeton-Hairdog .

+ Matt Kmiec, Bike Technician/Sales

When did you start at S&W Sports? What brought you here?

I first worked at S&W for about three years, starting in 2010, fixing bikes, working with nordic skis, and being a general-purpose nerd.. After a lengthy walkabout, I came back in May of 2020, and have spent the time since then fixing more bikes, working with nordic and alpine skis, and even working the sales floor when needed. I'm still a nerd.

Where is your favorite to place to ride/ski?

My favorite place to ride, ski, hike and camp is up in the White Mountains. I especially love riding my bikes on trails nobody thinks of riding bikes on. Ask me about my S.I.R. (Stupid Idea Ride) series some time!

If you could live anywhere in the world for a year, where would it be and why?

Hobbiton. They have second breakfast.

+ Javier Matos, Service Advisor

When did you start at S&W Sports? What brought you here?

Started in June 2021 after moving away from the automotive realm. I had been feeling a need to learn new things, and at the same time, find better work/life balance. S&W has been amazing in regards to both goals!

What are your responsibilities?

I assess bike and ski issues for service.

Do you bike, board, and/or ski?

Main love is mountain biking, followed by all kinds of skiing. Got into gravel riding within the last few years given the availability of great dirt roads right out my door.

Where is your favorite to place to ride/ski?

Waterbury/Woodstock/Stowe VT, Utah, Pisgah NC, Santa Cruz CA, and BC are all time favorites to ride bikes so far. Anywhere where there's lines in the trees are my favorite places to ski.

What is one thing you want to do before your die?

I'm all set. Pretty happy with what life has given me and just looking around for new and fun experiences.

If you could live anywhere in the world for a year, where would it be and why? Somewhere in/near the Alps, Rocky Mountains, a small mountain town in western US.

Where’s your favorite spot to eat?

The Reservoir in Waterbury VT, Robert's Maine Grill in Kittery ME both for sentimental reasons. And an outdoor shack at Playa Coson, Dominican Republic where you eat whatever they caught and fried up that morning.

If you could rename yourself, what name would you pick?

No change.

What are the top 3 artists or the last 3 songs on your Spotify (or equivalent)?

Aventura, Beck, and Cake!

+ Rob Peace, Sales Manager

When did you start at S&W Sports? What brought you here?

I started with S&W in May of 2020 as a sales person. I left for a short time to wrench on bikes with another shop but came back to be take over as Sales Manager as Rick moved into his General Manager roll.

I moved out here from Oregon and looked for area shops with great reputations to apply to. S&W seemed like the easy choice.

Do you bike, board, and/or ski?

I am a bike rider who occasionally finds him self strapped to a snowboard sliding down green trails completely out of control.

Where is your favorite to place to ride/ski?

The PNW is one of the best areas to ride mountain bikes in the entire world but North Conway and spots all over VT make me feel like I’m home again.

Bear Brook? Also rad.

What is one thing you want to do before your die?

I need to take a self supported bike packing trip >3000mi anywhere in the world.

If you could rename yourself, what name would you pick?

I can’t tell you that…

What are the top 3 artists or the last 3 songs on your Spotify?

Doja Cat - Kiss Me More

Idles- Never Fight a Man with a Perm

King Geedorah/MF Doom- Fazers

rob@swsports.net

+ Sam Whalley, Sales Associate

When did you start at S&W Sports? What brought you here?

I really wanted to expand my horizons with bikes and skis. My partner used to work there and I love working with people and finding new ways to teach myself and learn from everyone around me.

What are your responsibilities?

Currently I work in the Sales department , I'm also am working my way up the ranks in the bootfitting area and learning a lot on what makes a good ski boot fit and how to make people enjoy skiing even more.

Do you bike, board, and/or ski?

I bike , mostly mountain biking. I do plan on getting into riding gravel but for now mountain biking is my favorite summer sport. For winter sports I do love skiing. I've really pushed myself this winter season (2021) to learn how to ski and get really good at it for next season.

Where is your favorite place to ride/ski?

Loon is my home mountain for skiing and a very inviting mountain as well as Sunday river. We do plan to do some Main(Sugarloaf) trips as well. For biking Franklin Falls is my favorite spot. I will admit crashing a couple times but also learning to get back up and keep pedaling. My hope is to get into Highland park with some co-workers and do Wendsduro as much as I can!

What is one thing you want to do before your die?

Live my life. I've been all over the west coast making amazing connections along the way. And already visiting more of my friends here in New hampshire and in Virgina . I don’t think I could ask for much more besides the great people in my life.

If you could live anywhere in the world for a year, where would it be and why?

I think I would have to pick Germany . A year would give me a lot of time to explore Berlin and the big places in Germany.

Where’s your favorite spot to eat?

Hmm, Kasaki in manchester. Dos amigos in concord. Anywhere that there is fresh fish.

What are the top 3 artists or the last 3 songs on your Spotify (or equivalent)?

Ghost - Call me Little sunshine PowerWolf - Blessed and possessed A song from Encanto - We don’t talk about Bruno

Any other comments….

”Suns out lets do this

+ Peter Ellinwood, Sr. Boot fitter

When did you start at S&W Sports? What brought you here?

I started in the Fall of 2010. I’d shopped here for years and was a big fan. My professional life was in flux so I applied and with a good word from George Golden, was hired.

What are your responsibilities?

In the winter, I spend almost 100% of my time selling and fitting ski boots by appointment. In summer, I’m really good at selling kids bikes and hybrids. I also support the alpine gear buying process.

Do you bike, board, and/or ski?

Ski, ski, ski, a little bike, and ski.

If you could rename yourself, what name would you pick?

George, after my dad.

+Owen Brown, Sales Associate

When did you start at S&W Sports? What brought you here?

I started working at S&W in September, 2021, I was interested in S&W because it's my local shop. Growing up I got my first bike here and a few skis over the years. Working with bikes and skis definitely seems a lot less like work and more like fun. I want to learn as much as I can about what we sell and how to work on bikes.

Do you bike, board, and/or ski?

I ride bikes, ski, and board.

Where is your favorite to place to ride/ski?

I grew up skiing at Bretton Woods, and now ski and board at Ragged Mountain. My favorite place to ride is the Kingdom Trails, but Bear Brook is my local trail network.

If you could live anywhere in the world for a year, where would it be and why?

I would love to live out west for a year. I want to experience the trails and MTB culture, as well as skiing when the snow rolls around.

+Rylee Ames, Shipping/Receiving and Sales

Do you bike, board and/or ski?

I learned how to ski when I was younger but switched over to snowboarding, and have been doing that for several years now.

What is one thing you want to do before you die?

I would love to travel the world, and eventually visit all 50 states.

If you could live anywhere in the world for a year where would it be?

I would probably have to choose either Iceland, Spain, or France.

Where is your favorite spot to eat?

I love to eat out at Bertucci's or Ichiban.

+Drew Kochanek, Sales Associate

Do you bike, ski or snowboard?

I am a snowboarder and a gravity mountain biker. I love to snowboard at loon they have the best park on the east coast, and I ride at Highland mountain bike park.

If you could live anywhere in the world for a year where would it be and why?

If I could live anywhere for a whole year it would be the North shore of Oahu in the Hawaiian islands so I could surf all day and lay in the sun.

If you could rename yourself, what name would you pick?

Rob Peace

+ Marcella Tonge, Sales Associate

When did you start at S&W Sports?

I started working at the shop in Febuary of 2022. I have grown up shopping here and loved browsing the store so I decided this would be a great place to work.

Do you bike, board, and/or ski?

I do all three, but mountain biking in the summer has to be my favorite.

If you could live anywhere in the world for a year, where would it be and why?

I would love to live in Utah so I could ski some larger mountains.

What is your favorite spot to eat?

T-bones for sure is one of my favorites.