Mountainman Outdoor Supply Company Staff
John Nemjo
In 1981 John paid $180 to a friend for his first canoe. Paddling soon became not only a passion but at times a way of life as he began exploring many of the untraveled rivers and springs throughout the Florida landscape. Two years earlier he had his first extended wilderness experience as part of a 15-day rafting trip down the Delores and Colorado Rivers. It was this trip that John discovered not only a deep and unending love for the outdoors but a sense of mission to work for its preservation.
He has worked as a biologist, surveyor, landscaper, teacher and even a beer truck driver. In 1993 he founded Mountainman Outdoor Supply Company in an abandoned pizza shop in Inlet, NY with only a handful of canoes and kayaks and a very modest inventory of hiking and camping supplies.
John was active in Florida, as chair of the Jacksonville, Florida, group of the Sierra Club and served on that organizations state board before his departure for the Adirondacks. He was once a candidate for Jacksonville’s city council receiving 20% of the vote as an independent write-in candidate. Today he devotes his efforts to the Atlantic Chapter of the Sierra Club acting as co-chairman of their Adirondack Committee. He is a leading proponent of the Great Oswegatchie Canoe Wilderness that would give the Adirondacks the second largest paddling wilderness in the lower forty-eight.
John’s life and love of the Adirondacks became complete when he married Hilke Kayser on the shores of Fourth Lake in Inlet. Whenever possible, John, Hilke, their two boys Tristan and Tyler, and Emily “the mountaindog” explore the mountains, lakes and streams of their favorite playground.
Chris Tapper
Chris is from the SouthCoast of Massachusetts where he first started paddling Buzzard’s Bay at the age of 17. He has enjoyed paddling the coast of New England and looks forward to exploring the inland waterways of the Adirondacks. He enjoys sharing the outdoor world with his small family who has taught him to find adventure in even the smallest of endeavors.
Chris spent the better part of his free time from 2009-2010 hiking the New Hampshire 4,000 footers and is an avid alpine skier. He spent the winter of 2010 in Alaska where he worked for a non-profit that provided avalanche awareness, backcountry survival, and wilderness medical classes to communities throughout the state. He loves tackling new challenges, learning new skills, and hopes to someday be considered a true mountaineer.
He knows that gear can make or break a trip and is eager to share the lessons learned from his misadventures to make sure yours goes smoothly. He is very picky about his gear choices, so if he recommends it, you know it’s good.
Nanette Shovea-Burke
Nanette’s first experience with the Adiorndacks & the Oswegatchie River happened at about 6 months of age. It was love at first sight and except for the educational process etc. she has spent most of her life time here in the mountains.
Nanette was instrumental in the formation of Adirondack River Outfitter, now ARO Adventures, first as the office manager, cook, bus driver & photographer She became a NYS licensed guide and ran with trips down the Hudson, Black, Salmon and Sacandaga.
More recently Nanette co-managed Mountainman Outdoor Supply Company Canoe & Kayak in Old Forge and assisted in getting Mountainman Outdoor Supply Company at the Adirondack Outdoor Center started in 2005 where she is currently the manager.
She is passionate about kayaking, X-country skiing, biking and being in the Adirondack. Her finest achievements are four beautiful children and five really cool grandkids.
Andy Getty
Andy has always been a part of the Adirondacks, with family in the area from the late 19th century. He has spent nearly every summer on Big Moose Lake where he both worked for the marina and, for a couple years, drove the mail boat.
Becoming a permanent resident in 2003, he graduated from the Town of Webb UFSD in spring of 2004. He has gone on to attend the Rochester Institute of Technology for Industrial Design, and has spent a summer in Denmark studying furniture design.
Being drawn back to the area for the kayaking, hiking, water skiing and more! He is on the way to becoming a 46er and has completed the 90 miler the past 2 years! He hopes to be a positive part of the Town of Webb’s future.
Michael Lippacher
Mike was born to a family that enjoyed outdoor activities. An early introduction to hiking, camping, bird watching and other activities kept Mike interested in nature and outdoor recreation. Parental wisdom led to many weeks at summer camps for children. All of this exposure resulted in Mike choosing to seek higher education in forestry so that he could work in the environment he came to feel at home in.
Employment has been widely varied for Mike including serving the State of New York as Forestry Technician, Wilderness Park Ranger, and Campground Assistant Manager. Positions in private forestry such as forester and arborist were enjoyed also.
Mike has traveled to many of the United States and parts of Canada, often in pursuit of new adventures. As for adventures, mountain biking, hiking, kayaking, skiing and skating are activities that Mike regularlyparticipates in.
Chad Hiatt
Chad comes to us from the endless rows of corn and soybeans of the great state of Illinois. Growing up on a farm, Chad fell in love with exploring on two wheels at an early age. That exploration continues, and has taken him all over the country, from Alaska to New York.
During his years at Greenville College his love for bikes took him to a summer camp in Michigan where he guided mountain biking and instructed in the bike park. It was at that camp that Chad expanded his outdoor horizons and began rock climbing, backpacking, whitewater rafting, canoeing, and caving. He went on to work as a climbing and biking guide, Crew Leader for the Montana Conservation Corps, Operations Manager for Sockeye Cycles in Alaska, and Service Manager at the Alpine Shop in St. Louis.
Chad helped start a bike shop in his hometown that has already found a loyal following for it’s charm and commitment to quality. In his free time he dabbles in designing and building furniture, plans his next adventure, and sneaks away to race his bikes all over the country. Chad is excited to call Old Forge and Mountainman Outdoor Supply his new home, and looks forward to exploring the area on two wheels.
