I n du s try N ew s

Outtech Innovations Set for ATA Trade Show This year’s Outtech Innovations event that traditionally accompanies the ATA Trade Show will be held January 9, 2017 starting at 5 p.m. This will be the 19th Outtech Innovations event, developed to both entertain and inform while providing a purchasing opportunity. All retailers that plan on attending the ATA Trade Show are invited. The event will feature food and one night “Doorbuster Deals” from Outtech’s partner manufacturers; these deals are exclusive to the Innovations event. Easton Corbin will be providing this year’s music; in the past, Innovations has hosted performances by Luke Bryan, Dustin Lynch, Craig Morgan, Miranda Lambert, Jeff Foxworthy and Tyler Farr. The event’s earlier start time is intended to help the event wrap up before the NCAA Football National Championship game. In addition to the Innovations event, Outtech will also be holding its annual Big Hunt Giveaway during the trade show. During the first two days of the show, Outtech manufacturing partners will be offering raffle tickets at their booths. Tickets will be collected on the Outtech stage outside the show floor throughout both days and at the end of each day, a drawing will be held for prizes. Prizes given away in past years include a trip to New Zealand to hunt Red Stag, an African safari, a team entry into the World Turkey Hunting Championship and a Talladega NASCAR Race Weekend with

Realtree. All retailers/buyers are eligible to enter the drawing and must be present to win. “Outtech’s team of sales and marketing professionals has an unparalleled expertise in the products we represent and a true knowledge and passion for the outdoors,” Sarah Freeman, brand director for Outtech, said. “It’s not just our job; it’s our lifestyle. Outtech believes Outtech President Jay Scholes addresses the crowd at product demand is created Innovations 2014 in Nashville. at the dealer level, making the dealer fundamentally impor- engineering, sourcing, fabric converttant to the future and success of our ing and hard goods decorating in addicompany. Outtech’s Regional Manager tion to a media production company, a team services small, focused territories training division and a sales analytics to assure these customers are given department. Headquarters are located dedicated and specialized support. We in Aurora, Ohio. The company also has also take a targeted approach to the three regional offices located throughlarger chain retailers in the outdoor out the United States. Currently, the industry. We know that these types Outtech Field Staff has over 300 memof accounts need dedicated attention bers well versed in hunting, archery and have daily demands; Outtech has and firearms. “We believe that if you’re a team of professionals with constant not evolving, adapting and innovating, focus on the box accounts. Combined then you’re going backwards,” Freeman with the in-store support from our divi- commented. She expressed dissatisfacsions on the ground, Outtech is able tion with the term “rep group” to accuto offer our partners unmatched focus rately describe Outtech, stating that and attention at these retailers.” Outtech was about growing beyond the Outtech got its start in 1989 as a “traditional model.” sales representative group; it has grown “Outtech is proud to be involved into a full-service sales and market- with the Archery Trade Association,” ing agency that specializes in product Freeman said. “The ATA has supported Outtech Innovations throughout the history of the event and we feel that it’s a great kick-off to the trade show week.” Outtech President and Co-Founder Jay Scholes currently serves on the ATA Board of Directors. Nearly the entire Outtech team will be in attendance at the ATA Show this year to assist manufacturing partners with booth setup, booth teardown, sales and education. Retailers can RSVP for the Innovations event at (330) 562-9929 or www.outtech-online.com.

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ATA Retail Council, ARRO, NABA Encourage January Releases The dates manufacturers choose to release products greatly affect retail sales, especially in a seasonal industry like archery. For archery retailers, the third and fourth quarters often generate the strongest sales while the first and second quarters present opportunities to promote new products and create customer excitement as anticipation builds for the summer and fall seasons.

Industry Best Practice Statement To maximize annual sales and margins for all sectors of the archery and bowhunting industry, the ATA Retail Council, the Archery Range and Retailers Organization (ARRO) and the National Archery Buyers Association (NABA) support the release of new products in January. These groups want manufacturers to know that retailers prefer to buy and take delivery on the latest archery products at the ATA Trade Show, ARRO and NABA shows starting in 2017 for as many products as possible. They want that request to cover all archery products by January 2018.

Best Practice Rationale

ATA RETAIL COUNCIL Mark Copeland (Chair) – Jay’s Sporting Goods, Michigan Randy Phillips (Vice Chair) – Archery Headquarters Inc., Arizona Peter Gussie (Vice Chair) – Midwest Cimarron Archery, Illinois NABA BOARD OF DIRECTORS Gary Kinard (Interim President) – All Star Archery, Texas Wayne Piersol (Vice President) – Archery Only, California Lee Piersol (Secretary/Treasurer) – Archery Only, California Michael Ashe (Director) – Custom Gear, Tennessee Rhonda Crabtree (Director) – Corner Archery, Arizona Norman Geersten (Director) – Retired, Oregon William Rusch (Director) - Bowhunters Unlimited Archery Pro Shop, Wisconsin ARRO BOARD OF DIRECTORS Martin Stubstad (President) – Archery Headquarters Inc., Minnesota Will Moulton (Vice President) – Mouldy’s Archery, Wisconsin Ron Pelkey (Treasurer) – Pelkey’s Archery, Vermont Kent Colgrove (Secretary) – Full Draw Archery, Nebraska Tom Wilcox (Director) – Wilcox Bait & Tackle, Vermont Mark Wagner (Director) – Archery Field & Sports, Iowa Jim Gauthier (Director) – Gauthier’s Archery, Michigan

• Advertising new products during the fourth quarter tends to devalue existing products, making many currentyear products obsolete for the rest of the year. • Advertising new products during the fourth quarter creates excitement among customers yet these customers cannot find those products in stores. • Because inventories of currentyear products must be sold before the year’s end, retailers must often reduce prices and margins to make fourthquarter sales. This means retailers sacrifice profits on their most important For the coaching columns products during what should be the peak sales season. For the tuning expertise • Although new products are For the tournament reports advertised and promoted to consumers in the fourth quarter, sales support and And to keep tabs on the world-wide technical information about these prodfamily of competitive shooters ucts are often unavailable to retailers, thus reducing the value of the retailer as The US & International Archer is the a product-education resource. place to reach these opinion leaders • Marketing and delivering new products during the first quarter allows Advertise during our 35th year at retailers to play a major role in provery competitive advertising rates moting brands and product innovations to the best customers by having more For more time to coordinate social, digital and information print campaigns. please call • The ATA Retail Council, ARRO Arlyne Rhode and NABA believe that synchronizing product-sales cycles with customer today at buying behavior – especially because (855) 656-9541 archery is a seasonal business – must or visit become an industry best practice.

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S3DA to Offer Outdoor Target Archery In order to more closely align the Scholastic 3-D Archery (S3DA) tournament series with the United States Collegiate Archery Association (USCA), S3DA will now be offering students the opportunity to compete in Outdoor Target archery. The S3DA format will be a combination of NFAA/USCA/ S3DA and will be a half round of 30 arrows at NFAA distances with a USCA-style “head-to-head” competition for the championship. “This year is an exciting one for University of the Cumberlands,” said Kris Strebeck, Head Archery Coach at the University of the Cumberlands. “We will be hosting a Collegiate Outdoor Regional in April and then the S3DA Outdoor Nationals in July. This is a great opportunity for Scholastic 3-D Archery to continue growing and helping young archers to pursue different styles of archery. S3DA added an indoor element last year and now is adding an outdoor element this year. All of the styles are the same offered by collegiate archery programs. This will allow students to get a feel for what it’s like at the next level.” Adding this competition style to the S3DA program completes the trio of tournaments that will help to prepare S3DA students for collegiate archery. This addition connects the

final dot for S3DA students with professional archery organizations and extends the archery season further into the summer allowing more time and opportunity for young archers to continue shooting throughout the year. “Adding outdoor target archery effectively rounds-out Scholastic 3-D Archery’s competitive genres,” said Cody Kirby, Head Archery Coach at Union College. “This will expose S3DA students to a critical part of competitive college archery that they may have never participated in before. This will only make S3DA students more attractive recruits to collegiate programs across the United States.” Started in December 2012 by the Scholastic Archery Association, S3DA has grown exponentially as a next step program to follow introductory programs offered as part of 4-H or the National Archery in Schools Program. S3DA addresses the need for a program to bridge beginning target archery experience and more advanced activities such as 3-D shooting and bowhunting. The program currently operates across the United States with hundreds of certified coaches serving thousands of young archers, grades 3–12. For more information on S3DA membership go to: www.s3da.org.

Bear Archery Continues as Title Sponsor of S3DA

Scholastic 3-D Archery (S3DA) is proud to announce the continued support from Bear Archery as its title sponsor. As S3DA’s first sponsor, Bear has been a staunch supporter of youth 3-D archery and getting kids involved in bowhunting heritage. Bear’s support, year in and year out, has been instrumental in S3DA’s growth across the United States and its ability to continue to positively affect the lives of young archers and their families all around the country.

“Having the support of Bear Archery as the title sponsor of S3DA for the fourth consecutive year has allowed us to continue to grow and move our program across the United States,” Jennie Richardson, executive director for S3DA, said. “Bear Archery has been an industry leader for generations. Their vision for growing bowhunting and 3-D archery through youth programs aligns perfectly with the mission of Scholastic 3-D Archery. S3DA isn’t just a great program for young archers; it is also good for the archery industry.” “Bear Archery has been honored to supEXCLUSIVE Drive Shaft System. port S3DA as the title sponsor and to witComplete with Both Heads. ness the phenomenal growth that has taken Perfect Peep & Sight place across the nation,” Steve Dalp, product Housing Alignment. manager for Bear Archery Compound and Traditional, said. “Mr. Bear would be thrilled that his passion for archery and his legacy will be passed down to another generation of Longitude has ATTITUDE ! archery enthusiasts and bowhunters.” For more information about S3DA, call (606) 356-4055. For more information about Bear Archery, call (812) 467-1200.

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Dead Center Archery Hires Customer Service and Tech Expert

Dead Center Archery Products announces the addition of Jim Ream as customer service and technical expert. Ream brings years of experience in the archery industry. Before joining the Dead Center team, his love for archery began at a young age as an avid bowhunter in Central Pennsylvania. Ream went on to shoot competitively in the IBO and ASA circuit. With his knowledge and passion for the sport, Ream was able to then play an integral role at the local level, helping to develop and expand the competitive 3-D program in his area. It was there that Ream met and began shooting for Todd Reich, owner of Dead Center Archery Products. Ream decided to apply his archery tuning and competitive shooting knowledge, his skills and his love for the sport by opening his own retail location in Lewistown, Pennsylvania. As sole proprietor,

Ream was responsible for virtually every aspect of this retail business. From purchasing to marketing and bow tuning to sales, Ream was able to gain the necessary experience and industry knowledge to earn a loyal following and grow the sport of archery in his region. Ream’s core values of quality, knowledgeable and personable customer service have been the foundation of his career. Ream said, “Customer service was my top priority and that’s how everyone here at Dead Center Archery Products feels as well.” “Jim Ream has been in the archery industry for many years,” Reich said. “His ability to connect with the customer and offer quality information makes him very valuable to Dead Center. We are excited to have Jim as part of our team.”

Outdoor Edge Names PR Agency of Record Outdoor Edge has selected Hunter Outdoor Communications to handle its public and media relations. The appointment was effective in late November. “We are very excited about our partnership with Hunter Outdoor Communications,” said David Bloch, president and owner. “We look forward to a long and successful relationship with this highly respected PR agency.” Hunter Outdoor Communications’ public relations program for Outdoor Edge will encompass the development and implementation of an aggressive communications plan focusing on not only the company’s traditional outdoor market but also new markets that will address the new products to be launched in 2017. These new products will debut at the ATA Show and SHOT Show.

Brownell and Co. Welcomes Allen Conner

Brownell and Company Inc. has announced the appointment of Allen Conner to the position of sales manager effective November 14, 2016. Allen is now responsible for national and international sales for archery string materials. Allen has 30 years’ experience in the archery industry as a professional archer and bowhunter. He has achieved 22 national championship titles and 16 world championship titles. He is associated with the Archery Shooters Association, the International Bowhunters Organization, Buckmasters, Bowhunters of Alabama and the National Rifleman Association. Allen’s preference for using Brownell string materials will carry forward to promote Brownell products. “We are fortunate to have Allen join our team,” Brownell and Company’s Cindy Stackowitz said. For more information on Brownell and Company, call (860) 873-8625.

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ScentLok Hires Aaron Ambur as President ScentLok Technologies is pleased to announce the appointment of Aaron Ambur to the position of president, effective October 1, 2016. Ambur joins the company from Cabela’s Inc., where he was most recently the divisional merchandising manager of hunting hard goods. In announcing the hire, Patrick Hylant said, “Aaron is a perfect fit for our company. He is a strong leader and has expertise in every aspect of development, manufacturing and sales of the types of products we make; combine that

with his history of taking companies to new heights and I’m confident our brand will dominate for another 25 years.” Ambur brings a proven track record of success in retail sales execution, merchandising, product development strategy and supply chain refinement. He was a key player in the clothing and footwear categories that fueled much of the growth ScentLok experienced as a public company. Prior to joining Cabela’s, he served in various sales, supply chain and technology leadership roles for UPS. “I’ve always respected the ScentLok brand and their market-leading technologies,” Ambur said. “They have decades of brand equity and trust in the minds of outdoorsmen but also have positioned themselves for growth in several new and exciting market segments.” Ambur relocated to Muskegon, Michigan with his family and is an avid bowhunter and outdoorsman. He holds a MBA degree from the University of South Dakota and his undergraduate work was completed from Augustana University in business and MIS. For more information about ScentLok, call (844) 257-9505.

Kinsey’s Realigns Sales Team

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As part of its strategy to expand its distribution network and effectively meet customer needs, Kinsey’s Inc. will realign its customer care and sales teams for 2017. In addition to current staff members shifting to more specialized roles, several new positions have been created to better serve customer needs across the archery industry. The realignment confirms Kinsey’s commitment to growing the domestic and international independent dealer base. Increased focus and a higher degree of account management will help assist Kinsey’s independent retail partners to navigate the ever-changing consumer landscape, the company said. Recent events and acquisitions within the archery industry have made this realignment even more important for the independent retailer. Kinsey’s associates within the Sales and Customer Care departments have merged into one cohesive Sales team, with separate divisions specializing in different customer classes. Justin Gorman, previously of the Kinsey’s Consumer Brands Division, has been promoted to director of sales — Independent Retail and International and OEM. Toni DiRuscio will serve as the Independent Retail and International sales manager and Dakota Royer as the assistant sales manager. Most Customer Care representatives that Kinsey’s dealers have grown accustomed to working with will transition to the Independent Retail and International team. “Our focus is always on the customer experience and we felt that realigning our resources enabled us to form teams that are laser focused on their customer group,” Dave Parker, chief sales and strategy executive, said. “Retailers can expect more engagement from Kinsey’s in 2017 than ever before. That engagement allows us the opportunity to listen to our customers and to understand what we can do to serve them best and that’s exciting!”

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Badlands Collaborates with Carbon Express Badlands, maker of hunting packs and apparel, has teamed up with Carbon Express to offer the new Covert Tyrant Crossbow in Badlands Approach Camouflage. The Covert Tyrant features an advanced trigger box for a crisp and consistent trigger pull while the adjustable picatinny rail systems allows for both adjustability and customization. Built with premium components and designed for balance and power, the Covert Tyrant delivers maximum responsiveness and bolt speeds, says Badlands. “We’ve put over five years into developing our new Approach pattern and putting the pattern on cutting-edge products is key for us,” Blake VanTussenbrook, marketing manager for Badlands, said. “Carbon Express has once again come up with an amazing crossbow and we’re excited to have it available in Badlands Approach Camouflage. Performance, quality and durability are key in everything we do and are qualities we share with Carbon Express and their products.” The Covert Tyrant featuring Badlands Approach Camouflage will be available in early 2017. To learn more about Badlands, please call (800) 269-1875. For more information about Carbon Express, call (800) 241-4833.

Rinehart Names New R100 Coordinator

Rinehart Targets announced that David Weaver has been named as the new Rinehart R100 Coordinator. Plans for the 2017 season are underway and Weaver is set to take over full responsibility of the event. Weaver graduated from North Carolina State University, where he received a Bachelor’s of Science with a focus on parks, recreation and tourism management. His experience after college includes time as an archery technician at Cabela’s and Bass Pro Shops, as an office manager at High Adventure Company Outfitters and on the Outtech Inc. Pro Staff. Weaver will be responsible for managing all activities associated with the R100 shoots. He will coordinate all of the moving parts from start to finish at each event. “I’m looking forward to this great opportunity to join the Rinehart team,” Weaver said. “I can’t wait to make 2017 the best year yet for the R100.” The Rinehart R100 archery shoot offers 100 unique 3-D Rinehart Targets for attendees to set their sights on at some of the top archery clubs and courses in America. Shooters of all levels and ages are welcome. Keep score or just shoot for fun. For more information on Rinehart, please call (608) 757-8153.

Hudalla Welcomes Three New Hires

Hudalla Associates announces three additions to its team. Robert Freyer is its new territory sales rep in Delaware, Southeast Maryland, North Carolina, Virginia, Southeast Pennsylvania and South New Jersey. “With Rob’s passion for archery and background in sales and finance,” the company said, “we are confident that Rob will perform at the same high standards our dealer and buyers have come to expect from Hudalla Associates.” Cullen Davis of Wimberley, Texas will serve as a territory sales rep for Western Texas and also serve as a

product specialist in Western Texas, Oklahoma and Arkansas. Davis has extensive experience in archery retail in both Cabela’s and Bass Pro Shops as well as almost 30 years of hunting experience under his belt. Richard Moss of Rock Hill, South Carolina will serve as a territory sales rep for South Carolina, Georgia and Florida. Moss has an extensive background in business administration and marketing as well as experience supervising an archery shop for eight years. For more information, call Hudalla at (218) 346-2734.

Robert Freyer, Cullen Davis and Richard Moss

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Battenfeld Technologies Acquiring UST Brands Smith & Wesson Holding Corporation (NASDAQ Global Select: SWHC), a leading manufacturer of firearms and provider of quality accessory products for the shooting, hunting and outdoor enthusiast, announced its Outdoor Products and Accessories segment, through a subsidiary of Battenfeld Technologies Inc., will acquire the business of Ultimate Survival Technologies Inc. (“UST Brands”), a provider of highquality survival and camping equipment, in an asset acquisition for $32.3 million in cash. In addition, up to $2.0 million will be due over a period of two years following the closing, contingent upon the financial performance of the acquired business. The UST Brands line of personal safety and survival tools includes LED lights, patented all-weather fire starters, unbreakable signal mirrors, premium outdoor cutting tools, first aid kits, signal whistles, survival kits, camp kitchen products and more. UST Brands’ products are sold through a

variety of outdoor, sporting goods and large retailers as well as through online merchandisers. Based in Jacksonville, Florida, UST Brands operates from a 100,625 square foot facility. James Debney, president and chief executive officer of Smith & Wesson, said, “We are very excited to announce the acquisition of UST Brands. With its complete offering of survival gear, UST Brands is our first acquisition that is entirely focused on the outdoor market, which is a key part of our vision to become the leading provider of quality products for the shooting, hunting and rugged outdoor enthusiast. By expanding its product portfolio and retail presence, UST Brands delivered impressive compound annual revenue growth of 49 percent from 2012 through 2015. We believe that UST Brands’ broad distribution network, which includes strategic retailers, online retailers and distributors, will create incremental opportunities for our existing accessories products. Moreover, we believe

that the UST Brands product portfolio will benefit synergistically from the product innovation, distribution network and efficient sourcing model that have contributed to the success of our Accessories Division under the leadership of its president, Jim Gianladis.” Andrew Kaufmann, president of UST Brands, said, “As a family owned business for many years, we are very proud of the strong growth, profitability and outstanding reputation we have built in the market for survival and camping equipment. We are excited about the many organic and inorganic opportunities that UST Brands will be able to pursue in this segment of the outdoor market with the strong support and financial backing of Smith & Wesson.” For more information on Battenfeld Technologies, call (573) 445-9200. For more information on UST Brands, call (904) 786-0033.

Kinsey’s Dealer Appreciation Night to Feature Travis Tritt

Kinsey’s Inc. is proud to announce Travis Tritt as the performer for the Kinsey’s Dealer Appreciation Night Concert to be held on March 4, 2017, during the annual three day Kinsey’s Dealer Show in Hershey, Pennsylvania. Dealer Appreciation Night will kick off with dinner and prize giveaways early in the evening, allowing dealers to socialize before the Dealer Appreciation Night Concert. For Kinsey’s 15th Annual concert, Travis Tritt will bring his mix of country, Southern rock, blues and honky-tonk influences to the stage. Tritt, winner of multiple Grammys and CMAs, is a member of the Grand Ole Opry and has performed at two Super Bowls, a World Series game and the 1996 Olympics. He has more than 20 Top 20 singles, including “T-R-OU-B-L-E,” “The Whiskey Ain’t Workin’,” “Best of Intentions,” “Lord Have Mercy on the Working Man,” “Foolish Pride” and “Here’s a Quarter (Call Someone Who Cares).” To attend Dealer Appreciation Night and the Kinsey’s Dealer Show, please register today at www.kinseysdealershow.com. Join the Kinsey’s Dealer Show Facebook Group (www.facebook. com/groups/KinseysDealerShow) for updates and announcements about this year’s show. For more information on Kinsey’s, please call (717) 653-5524.

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2017 Deer and Turkey Expos Now Scheduling Exhibitor Space

Dates, locations and exhibitor space are now available for the 2017 Field & Stream/Outdoor Life Deer and Turkey Expos, the event series for hunting and outdoor lifestyle consumers. The 2017 lineup features six returning shows in some of the country’s most active hunting regions. Nearly 90,000 avid hunters, archers and outdoor lifestyle enthusiasts will gather at next year’s shows to test new equipment, view prize mounts and gear up for the next season. Of the largely male attendee group, 97 percent hunt whitetail deer and 79 percent bowhunt, based on 2016 exit surveys. New for 2017, the Illinois Deer & Turkey Expo will return to Peoria Dates and Locations and more than Jan. 27-29: Kentucky Deer & Turkey Expo double in size, Kentucky Exposition Center (State giving the enthuFairgrounds) in Louisville, Kentucky siastic local Feb. 17-19: Michigan Deer & Turkey Expo The Lansing Center in Lansing, Michigan hunting comMarch 17-19: Ohio Deer & Turkey Expo - munity more Celebrating 25 Years access, more Bricker Building, Ohio Expo Center (State action and more Fairgrounds) in Columbus, Ohio March 31-April 2: Wisconsin Deer & Turkey accessories to Expo kick off archery Alliant Energy Center of Dane County in sales season. Madison, Wisconsin Other highJuly 7-9: Florida Big Buck Expo - Now prolights of the 2017 duced by Deer & Turkey Expo The Lakeland Center in Lakeland, Florida schedule include July 28-30: Illinois Deer & Turkey Expo - the Ohio show’s Returning to Peoria, nearly doubling in 25th anniversary size and the second Peoria Civic Center in Peoria, Illinois Florida Big Buck

Expo produced by Deer & Turkey Expo organizers. The full list of dates and locations is below. Prospective exhibitors can book event space online at www.deerinfo. com/exhibiting or by contacting Cheryl Keller by phone at (800) 324-3337.

Pope & Young Club Sets Convention

The Pope & Young Club would like to take this opportunity to invite archery manufacturers and outfitters to attend the 2017 Biennial Convention. Every two years, the Pope & Young Club gathers to celebrate North America’s rich bowhunting heritage, honor outstanding examples of this continent’s wildlife, discuss issues relevant to the club’s role as a leader in the hunting and conservation community, do a little fundraising for the club’s Conservation Fund, talk with old friends and meet new ones. At the center of this gathering is the manufacturer and outfitter area located in the Union Station Midway. The Midway once serviced more than 10,000 rail passengers a day. The area was connected to the Train Shed, where passengers lined up to board trains through one of the 32 boarding gates. The Midway was constructed with a lightsteel-trussed roof of glass and iron. To reserve your booth or to become a Pope & Young Corporate Partner, contact Rick Mowery at [email protected] or by phone at (989) 884-3800.

Kinsey’s Hires New Sales Representative

Kinsey’s welcomes Randy Groff as its newest Independent Retail and International sales representative. An avid archer and outdoorsman, Groff comes to Kinsey’s with a strong archery retail background and more than a decade of experience in the pro shop, in customer service and in event planning at Lancaster Archery Supply. “We are very excited to have Randy join our sales team,” Dave Parker, chief sales and strategy executive, said. “It’s not often we have the opportunity to hire someone with his experience and extensive technical archery background. I’m confident Randy will quickly become a valuable asset to our dealers as well as our internal teams.” “Bringing Randy on board the team will add tremendous benefits to Kinsey’s,” Justin Gorman, director of sales — Independent Retail/International/ OEM, said. “His wealth of technical experience and industry relationships will go a long way in continuing to provide superior service to our customers.” Groff ’s sales responsibilities will focus on assisting Kinsey’s independent retailers navigate the ever-changing consumer landscape both in the U.S. and internationally.

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Keefer Brothers Partner with Cabela’s

Brothers Chris and Casey Keefer have announced a new clothing and camouflage categories partnership with the Cabela’s Instinct line of performance hunting wear. This partnership is another step in a longstanding relationship the Keefer Brothers share with Cabela’s. “The Keefer Brothers are great representatives of the Cabela’s brand. They have a respect and passion for the outdoors that connects them with our customers and our company,” Christine Wamsley, Cabela’s director of communications and partnerships, said. Chris and Casey will be wearing Cabela’s camouflage patterns

exclusively, including the O2 Octane and Zonz patterns. As hosts of “Dropped” and “Rival Wild” on the Outdoor Channel and the Sportsman Channel respectively, the brothers are looking forward to the versatility and performance of the Cabela’s Instinct line of clothing. “We’re so happy to be expanding our great relationship with Cabela’s,”

Styrka Hires Brad Gross As Optics Firms National Sales Manager

Kinsey’s Welcomes Caitlyn Heisey

Kinsey’s announces the addition of Caitlyn Heisey to its Consumer Brands Division. Heisey will serve as the supply chain lead, focusing on maintaining and managing inventory levels to ensure a ready supply of products is available to consumers year-round. She will also be responsible for logistics, trend forecasting and quality control measures for the division’s four brands: BlackHeart, Fin-Finder, Elevation and October Mountain Products. Heisey comes to Kinsey’s with experience in retail purchasing, supply and segment development for companies

Chris commented. “We’ve been partnered for years in the optics category and we appreciate the quality and expertise that comes with working alongside this iconic brand.” “We spend our lives documenting our pursuits all over North America and beyond,” Casey said. “Much like Cabela’s, quality is a top priority for us. We know this partnership will help greatly in achieving the standards we’ve set, no matter where we end up.”

with regional and international presence. “I’m excited to combine my work experiences in a field that is growing and with a company that is growing,” Heisey said. Matt Smith, director of consumer brands said, “Caitlyn brings a professional background in purchasing and allocating that I believe will positively propel her forward in her new role. I am excited to witness the forthcoming positive impact that Caitlyn’s role will have on our brands and customers.” For more information on Kinsey’s, please call (717) 653-5524.

Styrka is pleased to announce the hiring of Brad Gross to the position of national sales manager. Gross will be responsible for managing the Styrka national sales force and developing sales programs and promotions to enhance the sales of the Styrka optics line in the United States. Prior to joining the Styrka team, Gross was the principal of MINK States Marketing in Lincoln, Nebraska. He brings over 20 years of sales, marketing and industry experience representing several well-known brands in the outdoor industry. During his tenure as principal of MINK States Marketing, Gross called on several of the largest accounts in the hunting/outdoor segment as well as smaller regional players. “We are excited to have Brad as part of our team,” Scott Myers, director of Styrka, said. “He has vast industry experience and will play a critical role in leading Styrka to its next stage of growth.” Gross resides in Lincoln, Nebraska with his family and is an avid bowhunter and outdoorsman who enjoys hunting deer and other big game species. To learn more about Styrka, please call (844) 211-6915.

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Hudalla Dealer Appreciation Night Marks 30th Anniversary

The year 2017 marks the 30th Anniversary for Hudalla Associates, Inc. The annual PreShow, which precedes the ATA Trade Show, will be held January 9 from 1-5:30 p.m. in the 500 Ballroom. The PreShow, currently the third Hudalla has hosted, will give dealers an opportunity to see the new products displayed by its represented manufacturers. They’ll also have the opportunity to communicate one-on-one with their representatives and manufacturers before the ATA Show begins. Not only will the PreShow offer specials exclusive to attendees; they’ll also be able to pick up their wristbands for the Customer Appreciation Night and have an opportunity for a minimum of 16 extra entries into the cash prize drawing for over $15,000. Drawings will be held the following night during the customer appreciation event. The Customer Appreciation Night is a night dedicated to Hudalla’s valued dealers. There will be a free meal as well as free drinks and back again for the sixth year is country musician Paul Bogart. This event will be held in the Sagamore Ballroom, starting at 6:15 p.m. on January 10. Wristbands to attend the event will be available at the PreShow or by stopping at the Hudalla Associates booth located in the Bear Archery booth. Tickets are limited to the first 1750 people, so stop by early. Hudalla’s goals can be summed up best by its mission statement: “To provide the utmost in professional

service and quality representation in every way possible and to conduct business only on the highest levels of honesty, integrity and credibility.” Hudalla currently has 20 territory sales representatives, five regional product specialists, three experienced inside sales associates and over 150 field pro staff members.

Parker Bows Welcomes Two New Hires

Parker Bows has named Chip Wilson as its new regional sales manager for Michigan and Ohio. The company has also named Adam Greer as its new regional sales manager for Texas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, Kansas and Arkansas. They will be in charge of managing and strengthening Parker’s dealer network in their respective regions as well as working with distributors and major retail stores. Chip Wilson has 10 years of experience as an archery retailer, owning a small business in central Michigan. Most recently, Wilson was a regional sales manager with Outtech, working in both its Archery and Hunting

Divisions over the last five years in Michigan. During that time, he received both Salesman of the year and Game Ball Awards while representing over 30 archery manufacturers. Chip and his wife of 20 years, Michelle, have two boys, Hunter and Spencer. “My favorite hunting memories are sitting with both of my boys in a treestand as they harvested some great Michigan trophies,” Wilson noted. Adam Greer brings over 18 years of consultative selling experience in the food service and hospitality industry, specializing in customer service and profitability as well as over 35 years of outdoor and hunting experience. An avid bowhunter for 15 years, Greer enjoys sharing his love for the outdoors with his wife of 18 years, Karen, and his two daughters (Haley and Julia), who have both harvested their first whitetails over the last two seasons. He and his family have made their home in Texarkana, Texas.

Left to Right: Adam Greer, Chip Wilson

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12/3/16 6:09 PM