SAM Magazine--October 22, 2012--Jim Spring, founder of Leisure Trends Group (LTG), died early Monday morning while battling throat cancer. Spring founded LTG in 1989 and over the past 23 years developed and led the company to become one of the authorities in the sporting goods and specialty retail industries.

Spring started his career in the industry as the executive editor at Ski Magazine. As well, between 1966 and 1969, Spring served as executive editor of SAM Magazine. Spring also authored three books on retail management and the use of statistical information. Early on, through his first company, SMART, Spring pioneered retail sales tracking with breakthroughs including the first working universal vendor code and the use of data captured at point-of-sale in retail stores.

Spring founded and ran Leisure Trends with his wife Joy, until they retired from the day-to-day activities in 2010.

Memorial arrangements and details will be forthcoming.