Nichols ropes in sponsor

Gary Mandelbaum, president of Karman, home of western and lifestyle brands Roper Apparel & Footwear and Stetson Apparel & Boots, said, "Roper has had a long tradition of sponsoring cowboys and rodeo personalities, and we felt it was time to include country music in our endorsee mix."

"After all, western apparel and footwear and country music share a bond as old as the two industries themselves," Mandelbaum said. "Joe did such an incredible job for us last year anchoring our advertising and marketing campaign, we felt a more formal relationship was warranted."

"Working with Roper has been great, and I'm glad to be extending our partnership," Nichols said. "The things that Roper has built their company around are the same things that are important to me in my family and in my business. They're a family-owned and operated business, and they believe that working hard and knowing and respecting your customers is the foundation of a successful business. That's something I respect and can get behind."