Pat Connelly was an innovator in ski design and manufacturing. He started selling wood skis out of a garage in Lake City, Wash., in 1967. He built the skis by hand and promoted them himself. The word spread quickly about Connelly products and demand increased steadily. In 1972 the addition of fiberglass technology allowed the company to expand the product line and increase production. It went on to produce high-end composite skis used by the top professionals. Connelly has been in production for more than 46 years.