Erick Laine passed away on December 1, 2020 in Olean, New York.
Laine served as DSA Chairman from 1994-1995 and as DSEF Chairman from 1995-1996. He is remembered by CUTCO/Vector Marketing Corporation President and Chief Executive Officer Jim Stitt, Jr. as a charismatic and visionary leader whose contributions to the direct selling community will resonate for generations. Laine was inducted into the DSEF Circle of Honor in 1999 and was honored with the DSA Hall of Fame award in 2002.
“For those of you who never had the opportunity to know Erick, I will always remember him as a storied direct selling leader,” says Joseph N. Mariano, DSA President. “His vision for the channel’s potential is largely responsible for creating CUTCO, one of direct selling’s most legendary brands. We convey our deepest condolences to Erick’s wife Marianne, the entire Laine family, and all whose lives Erick touched.
Laine was also a civic leader in his community of Olean, New York. The newly restored Oak Hill Park steps were dedicated in honor of Erik and his wife Marianne Laine by the City of Olean in 2018, in gratitude for their dedication to the beautification of city parks.