Newsmakers - August 2024

Burris Optics Announces Appointments

Burris Optics announced the appointment of Bruno Beccaria to the position of general manager, and the promotion of Alberto Corbetta to the position of senior VP of sales and marketing.

As the head of U.S. operations, Beccaria is tasked with further accelerating the companies’ advanced technology initiatives across the outdoor sports and defense optics segments.

Beccaria’s background stems from his work with Beretta Holding S.A. (Benelli Armi S.p.A. and Franchi) for the past 15 years.

Corbetta will continue to oversee global branding, marketing and product management for Burris, as well as absorb worldwide sales responsibilities for the Burris brand and for the Steiner brand in the U.S.

Corbetta joined Burris in late 2022 as VP of strategic brand and product marketing position. Previously, he served as part of the Burris marketing team before transferring to Steiner Optik in Germany, where he was involved in marketing and development.

Orion Wholesale Promotes Sales VP

Matt Nicholson is now serving as the VP of sales for Orion Wholesale. He is responsible for sales team leadership, expanding new sales territories, developing new distribution channels and contributing to the company’s marketing and business strategies.

Brent Taylor, Orion Wholesale CEO, stated, “As Orion continues its rapid growth, Matt’s sales leadership and background in building top-performing sales teams will expand Orion’s product portfolio.”

Before joining Orion, Nicholson led high-performance sales teams at Davidson’s and AMMO Inc.

Heckler & Koch Welcomes Sales Manager

Heckler & Koch welcomed back John M. Harrison as sales manager. He will focus on managing commercial sales, coordinating new product launches and overseeing customer relationships in collaboration with the organization’s manufacturing representatives.

Harrison has a distinguished 20-year military career, from which he retired as a U.S. Army major. Previously, he served as the director of sales and marketing at PTR Industries LLC and director of commercial and law enforcement sales at Heckler & Koch.

Primary Arms Government Names Sales & Program Director

Primary Arms Government welcomed Bob Protheroe as the new director of government programs and sales. He will support the team in leadership, customer retention, grants, contracts, revenue generation, sales strategy, business analytics, channel development, negotiations and client communication.

“[Protheroe] brings a wealth of experience in navigating the government contracting landscape and is committed to fostering strong partnerships to deliver innovative solutions for the sector,” said Özge Cumberland, chief business development officer at Primary Arms.

He brings over 30 years of experience in the industry from leadership roles at Geissele Automatics, Beretta Defense Technologies, Steiner USA, Avon Protection Systems Inc., Municipal Emergency Services Inc., TVI Corporation and Fisher Scientific.

PrairieFire Nevada Introduces Executive Leadership Team

Outdoor shooting destination, PrairieFire Nevada has introduced its executive team. Utilizing their extensive experience, the organization’s leadership and trainers are dedicated to nurturing personal growth for individuals, regardless of their skill level or objectives.

The team consists of Executive Chairman Scott Miller, CEO Mark O’Neil, Chief Experience Officer Lanny Barnes, Senior VP Levi Rogers, Chief Training Officer Hans Hansen, Chief Communications Officer Sonny Leggett, CMO Chad Brown, VP of Facilities and Construction Christian Storck-Petersen, VP of Engagement Jennifer Williams, VP of Memberships Kasia Kwiatkowska and Director of Business Dev. Adam Black.

Kent Outdoors Taps Chief Supply Chain Officer

Kent Outdoors announced Dave D’Angelo joined the company as chief supply chain officer.

“[D’Angelo] is a versatile, strategic leader with an incredible amount of experience across industries and global markets,” said Kent Executive Chairman Lee Belitsky.

D’Angelo has over 25 years of leadership experience from positions at Thermo Fisher Scientific, Dick’s Sporting Goods, Staples and Reebok.

Streamlight Inc. Names Regional Sales Manager

Streamlight Inc. has hired Joshua Jeter as regional sales manager, where he supports the company’s Industrial/Fire Division. In this role, Jeter will manage the company’s manufacturers’ rep groups in the south-central region focusing on sales, dealer revenue growth and customer support.

Mike Dineen, Streamlight’s chief revenue officer, said, “His success with the management of a large dealer network and a large sales territory will no doubt serve our Industrial and Fire Division well.”  

Prior to joining Streamlight, Jeter served as a territory manager for Wearparts Tillage Tools and for Unverferth.

Jeter earned a B.S. in agriculture and extension education services from Tarleton State University.

GUNSTORES.com Taps Business Dev. VP

Eric Wille has joined GUNSTORES.com to serve as the VP of business development to help drive the company’s growth and innovation in the market.

Wille has more than 10 years of experience from serving in various leadership roles at Orchid, Gearfire and AcuSport. 

Benelli USA Retains Chief Logistics Officer

Benelli USA has appointed Chris Binion as the company’s chief logistics officer with oversight that includes the Benelli USA, Franchi, Stoeger, Uberti USA and Chapuis brands.

“[Binion] brings a wealth of experience, as well as expertise, in logistics and distribution management that will significantly benefit our organization,” said Tom DeBolt.

He brings over 20 years’ worth of experience in logistics and distribution to the position from roles at New River Logistics, Avnet Electronic, Premier Farnell and Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications.

Binion earned degrees in logistics and transportation management from Eastern University.

HIVIZ Shooting Systems Welcomes Commercial Sales Director

Christopher Harrison has joined HIVIZ Shooting Systems as the director of U.S. commercial sales. 

Joseph Smith, HIVIZ VP of sales and marketing, shared, “To execute our growth strategy we needed a pro, and we are pleased to have Christopher Harrison join our team. His experience driving strategic growth, fostering strong partnerships and delivering unparalleled customer satisfaction is a powerful addition to our high-performing sales and marketing team.”

Harrison joins the team with over 40 years of experience as a sales professional in the firearms and defense industry.

Sierra Bullets & Barnes Bullets Appoint CEO

Sierra Bullets and Barnes Bullets announced the recent appointment of Jim Bruno as CEO.

Andrew Sparks, VP of marketing, said, “We are excited for his strength in leadership and strategy. We look forward to him leading our businesses.”

Bruno most recently served as the president of Bushnell — a Vista Outdoor segment that also includes brands such as Simmons, Primos, Hoppes, Champion, Gold Tip and BeeStinger. Prior to Bushnell, he held roles for several Vista Outdoor Hunt/Shoot brands, including Federal, CCI, Speer, Remington and Hevi-Shot.

Legacy 1846 Outdoor Group Appoints CEO

Legacy 1846 Outdoor Group announced the appointment of Andrew Sibble to CEO. The company oversees a diverse portfolio of subsidiaries, including sales and marketing provider Outtech, that cater to a wide range of outdoor consumer and vendor needs.

Outtech Founder Jay Scholes said, “I have worked with [Sibble] for many years and am confident that he has the experience, respect, strategic vision and passion to help take Outtech and our subsidiaries to the next level.”

Sibble has nearly two decades of industry experience. He held positions at Plano Synergy, Alliance Consumer Group and Xpedition Enterprises. 

FMG Publications Grieves Loss

Mark Hampton, world-famous handgun hunter, author of several books and American Handgunner’s Handgun Hunting column and longtime contributor to GUNS Magazine passed away on June 23 while on a big-game hunt in the Burko Hunting Area of the Moduli region of Tanzania.

Hampton’s career was spent in service to others. He was elected and served for six years as a Missouri State Representative for the 147th District. 

He was also a volleyball coach, softball coach and teacher at Summersville High School, and held the positions of principal and superintendent for the Summersville R-2 School District.

Colleague Roy Huntington shared, “His legacy of knowledge, consideration, thoughtful help and sincere desire to help new hunters learn the ropes will be missed by all who knew him.”

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