Newsmakers - January 2025

Celerant Technology Promotes Chief Growth Officer

Michele Salerno is now serving as the chief growth officer for retail software provider, Celerant Technology. She will spearhead the company’s expansion initiatives to forge new retail partnerships and build on client retention as well as oversee Celerant’s marketing strategy.

Ian Goldman, president and CEO of Celerant, shared, “With growth so tightly coupled with many of our partners, Michele is poised to spur tremendous growth in our company.”

Salerno brings nearly two decades of leadership to the role.

She graduated cum laude from The City University of New York with dual concentrations in marketing and management.

Kinsey’s Inc. Adds Buyers

Kinsey’s Inc. welcomed two new buyers to its team: Louie DuChene and London Sasse.

Alex Cameron, Kinsey’s director of purchasing, shared, “Their individual skill sets will be an incredible addition to the company as a whole and we’ve already begun to see the positive effect of their work on their respective teams and overall sales.”

DuChene joins the company with a background in FFL distribution, where he spent several years buying firearms, suppressors and other accessories. He was a production manager for Speer Ammunition leading up to the Vista (Federal) acquisition.

Sasse spent the past decade working for Dick’s Sporting Goods’ purchasing department.

Dallas Safari Club Welcomes CEO

Dallas Safari Club (DSC) announced the hire of Rob McCanna as its CEO. He will also serve as the CEO for DSC Foundation.

“Rob is not only the right person for the job, but we feel with his industry experience and proven success as an executive-level leader, combined with his commitment to excellence, this represents a blockbuster hire,” said DSC President Ray Mulholland. 

 McCanna most recently served as the president and CEO of Walther Arms Inc. Other notable career roles include president of ORCA Coolers and various executive-level positions during his 17 years at Remington Outdoor Company.

5.11 Tactical Names CFO

5.11 Tactical announced the appointment of Bryan Jones to the position of CFO following Jim McGinty’s recent retirement from the role. Jones will focus on strategy, managing risk and fulfilling revenue and profit targets. McGinty will remain involved in the company by taking on a consultatory role in 2025 with a planned exit by the start of 2026.

“Bryan is a transformational leader with a growth mindset who is often sought out for partnership by his peers as well as others throughout the organization,” stated Troy Brown, CEO of 5.11 Tactical.

Jones joined 5.11 nine years ago with finance experience from roles at Johnson & Johnson, Volcom and Deloitte. He earned a bachelor’s in economics from the University of California, Santa Barbara and an MBA from the Paul Merage School of Business, University of California, Irvine.

Lyman Products Taps Marketing Director

Lyman Products welcomed Tom Ricks as the director of sales and marketing for Lyman and its family of brands where he will lead sales, marketing and customer service efforts.

Ricks joins Lyman with over 25 years of experience in sales and marketing. Most recently, he held leadership positions in marketing and leading with ESPN Outdoors and B.A.S.S. business units. He also gained experience from positions at Pure Fishing Inc. and Kimberly-Clark Corp.

Banshee Brands Inc. Names VP, COO

Banshee Brands Inc., the parent company of RETAY USA and Breda America Group (Breda AG), appointed JP Fischer as the VP of sales and Dave Barrera as the COO. 

Fischer will spearhead the strategic growth and sales efforts for both product lines.

Christian Handy, CEO of Banshee Brands, said, “JP is well respected and highly regarded within our industry and he will undoubtedly play a pivotal role in our future growth as an organization.”

Fischer brings over a decade of experience in the outdoor sports market from roles at Christensen Arms, Benelli USA and Smith & Wesson.

Barrera will oversee the execution of the company’s strategic plans and manage day-to-day operations as Banshee Brands continues to expand.

“As we’re growing our organization and building both the RETAY USA and Breda AG brands, it’s important that we have a solid foundation,” said Handy. “Dave’s leadership background and experience with putting systems and processes in place will ensure we have that.”

Barrera brings over two decades of experience to his new role. He is a U.S. Air Force veteran and has over a decade of experience serving clients in the tactical industry.

Sellmark Corp. Taps Global Marketing VP

Vanessa McCoy was appointed the new global VP of marketing at Sellmark Corp., assuming leadership of five of the company’s seven brands: Sightmark, Firefield, KJI, BulletSafe and INFORCE. 

James Sellers, CEO of Sellmark Corporation, said, “[McCoy’s] expertise in building brand presence and engaging audiences across international markets will play a pivotal role in our journey toward continued global growth.”

McCoy joins Sellmark with a career spanning over 20 years. 

Leica Appoints Marketing Director

Leica appointed Ryan Holm the director of marketing for Sport Optics where he will focus on revitalizing brand perception, building solid relationships with wholesale and delivering fully integrated marketing campaigns across e-commerce, social media, public relations, and direct sales support.

Holm has over 20 years of outdoor industry experience in marketing, media and brand development.

CAHSS Names Research/Partnership Director

The Council to Advance Hunting and the Shooting Sports (CAHSS) named Scott Lavin the new director of research and partnerships. He will continue efforts to deepen the Council’s understanding of public engagement in hunting and shooting sports, guiding strategic partnerships, research and data-driven program development.

CAHSS Executive Director Dr. Steven Leath expressed, “Scott’s deep knowledge of both conservation and R3 practices makes him an exceptional fit for this role.”

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