Burton Snowboards is a privately-owned snowboard manufacturing company that was founded by Jake Burton Carpenter in 1977. The company specializes in products aimed at snowboarders, such as snowboards, bindings, boots, outerwear, and accessories. The company, whose flagship store is in Burlington, Vermont, was privately owned by Jake Burton Carpenter (also known as Jake Burton), until his death in 2019, and by his wife, Donna Carpenter, who has been active in the business since 1983. History Burton Snowboards was founded by Jake Burton in 1977. His co-founder, Dimitrije Milovich, was an East Coast surfer and the founder of snowboard company Winterstick. Their snowboards were inspired by the Snurfer, which was created in 1965 by Sherman Poppen. In 1977, Burton moved to Londonderry, Vermont, where he made the first Burton snowboard in his garage, by hand. Since Burton could not afford proper equipment, he applied polyurethane to the prototype. In 1978, the company moved to Manchester, Vermont. Jake Burton campaigned for local ski resorts to open their lifts to snowboard riders. In 1982, the Suicide Six ski area, now called Saskadena Six Ski Area, in Pomfret, Vermont, was reportedly the first mountain to permit snowboarders, followed by Stratton Mountain, and, later, Jay Peak and Stowe. When resorts started to accept snowboarders on lifts, the public did too; and Burton became one of the main suppliers for snowboarders. In 1982, Burton marketed its product at the National Snowboarding Championships, held at Suicide Six. Snow Valley also allowed snowboarders and in 1984 hosted the US Open. In 1985, the National Snowboarding Championships moved to Stratton Mountain and became the U.S. Open Snowboarding Championships, which was owned and operated by Burton. This competition helped legitimize the sport. In 1985, Burton established the European Division of Burton Snowboards in Innsbruck, Austria. In 1986, distribution began in New Zealand. In 1992, the Burton factory relocated to Burlington, Vermont. In 1994, Burton opened its Japan division in Urawa-shi. In 2014, there were 400 employees in Burlington and 1,000 worldwide. In 2008, several complaints arose when Burton produced snowboards that had illustrations of self-mutilation and Playboy bunnies. As a result, the Burton Love model was discontinued for the 2012 line and replaced by the Mr. Nice Guy. As of 2009, Burton owned ten companies that sold snowboards, outerwear, and shoes. In 2008, Burton began to make surfboards in Vermont. For many years, Burton and his wife—Donna Gaston Carpenter, whom