Boone and Crockett Club Names New President

The Boone and Crockett Club has announced that Tony Caligiuri of Osceola, Iowa, has been elected as the new president of the 138-year-old organization. Caligiuri, who has been a member since 2011, began his term as the Club’s 37th president by leading his first spring meeting of the Club this month in Louisville, Kentucky, during the North American Wildlife and Natural Resources Conference. The long-time outdoor industry veteran and CEO of Boyt Harness Company has served in various Club leadership roles, most recently as Executive Vice President of Administration.

“I am humbled to lead the Boone and Crockett Club into the near future. We are blessed with a combined membership of regular and professional members that no other conservation or hunter advocacy group can equal,” Caligiuri stated. “Our regular members provide strategic thinking, financial support, industry connections, political influence, and guidance that keep us moving forward. The professional members are the brain trust of the Boone and Crockett Club, representatives of the brightest and most highly respected names in science, wildlife health and management, conservation policy, and education.

“I am also extremely excited about our records program as we bring 100 years of history into the digital era. The Boone and Crockett records program is the gold standard of worldwide record keeping systems that combines the principles of the North American Model of Wildlife Conservation and the awe-inspiring history of North American big game hunting in pictures and stories of hundreds of record-class game animals. We have the opportunity to be the thought leader in helping states address technology issues and to help standardize them wherever possible so that our ethics and Fair Chase guidelines are the same from state to state and province to province.”

An Iowa native, Caligiuri has been a leader in the hunting and conservation industry for 40 years, starting as an outdoor writer before building on the more than a century of history of the Boyt Harness Company as its president and CEO. Boyt Harness Company is the parent company of Gokey, Bob Allen Company, Mud River Dog Products, the Outdoor Connection, and others. He is a past chairman of the Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation, past board member of the Wild Sheep Foundation, and current board member of Bear Trust International and the Jack O’Connor Heritage Center. Caligiuri is an avid upland and big game hunter with a particular love for the hunting and conservation of wild sheep. Caligiuri will serve a two-year term as Boone and Crockett Club president, leading the organization through the completion and implementation of its next strategic plan.

Savage Arms Makes Key Appointments to Leadership Team

Savage Arms has made key promotions within the organization, reflecting its commitment to “recognizing and fostering talent from within.” These promotions help position the broader portfolio of brands for success.

Robert Gates, as senior vice president, reportedly brings over 30 years of experience in the hunting and shooting industry. In 2018, he assumed responsibility for sales, marketing and product development at Savage Arms. Before joining the company, Gates held key roles at Smith & Wesson, Glock, Vista Outdoor, and Surefire.

“His deep expertise has played a crucial role in transforming the Savage brand and expanding its product range,” the company said in a media release. “In his new position, Rob will oversee product development, sales and marketing for Savage Arms and the Bowtech Archery Group.”

Beth Shimanski, as VP of Marketing, joined Savage Arms in early 2017 after spending over a decade at Polaris Industries, where she held various roles in international and product marketing, as well as roles leading product development. At Savage, Shimanski has reportedly led the marketing function for the last eight years, helping to reshape the brand and bring several innovative products to market.

“In her new role, Beth will continue to oversee marketing for Savage Arms but will also be responsible for the marketing efforts of the Bowtech Archery Group,” Savage noted.

Steve Colaluca, as VP of Operations, Firearms, has been with the company since 2013 and has held multiple positions at the Westfield facility, including senior manager of Factory Operations, director of Operations, and, most recently, VP of Operations. He has reportedly led a lean transformation of the Westfield production facility, improving efficiency, throughput and team engagement, in addition to driving cross-functional collaboration across supply chain and engineering.

“This new role will add the Lakefield, Ontario rimfire factory to Steve’s responsibility while retaining oversight of operations, product strategy execution, and business performance, now across both facilities,” the company added.

“These promotions are a testament to the outstanding leadership and expertise demonstrated by our team members,” said Chris Bezzina, president and CEO of Savage Arms and Bowtech Archery Group. “We are excited to see how their continued contributions will drive our companies forward and enhance our ability to serve our customers with new, innovative, and top-performing products.”

Woox Expands U.S. Sales Team Representation with Elite Outdoor Sports

Woox, the manufacturer of rifle stocks, knives, axes, and accessories based in Hickory, NC, has retained Elite Outdoor Sports, based in Alta, WY, for representation in the hunting and shooting sports channel.

The partnership follows the hiring in April of Ben Fleming, formerly VP of sales at Bergara/BPI Outdoors, as CEO.

“This is a critical step in our U.S. growth strategy,” said Fleming. “Elite Outdoor Sports brings a deep understanding of the premium firearms and outdoor markets. Their track record in growing new dealer and distributor relationships, as well as their reputation for excellence, makes them the perfect partner to help us scale thoughtfully and with impact.”

Yeti Names New VP of Investor Relations

Yeti Holdings, Inc. announced that Arvind Bhatia has joined the company as VP of Investor Relations. Bhatia will oversee outreach to the investment community, reporting to Yeti’s Chief Financial Officer, Mike McMullen.

 “Arvind brings with him a deep knowledge of the consumer space, extensive sell-side experience and a proven track record of fostering strong relationships with investors,” said McMullen. “We’re thrilled to have him join the team as we continue to focus on enhancing shareholder value.”

Bhatia has over 25 years of experience in investor relations, equity research, mergers and acquisitions, and business development, with a focus on navigating complex capital markets.

“Yeti has built an incredibly strong brand, a track record of innovation, and a values-driven culture that sets it apart,” said Bhatia. “I’m grateful for the opportunity to lead investor relations and build on the strong foundation already in place. I believe the company’s story, portfolio, and long-term growth potential remain very compelling, and I look forward to showcasing the significant value still ahead.”

Before joining Yeti, Bhatia led SharkNinja’s investor relations strategy as they transitioned to a public company. Before that, he held similar roles at Grocery Outlet, Inc., At Home Group, Inc. and Dave & Busters, Inc. He also worked as the managing director of Equity Research at Sterne Agee & Leach before joining the investment research profession.

GunBroker.com Parent Appoints Chairman and CEO

Outdoor Holding Company, the owner of GunBroker.com reports that Steve Urvan, the founder of GunBroker.com and the largest shareholder of the company, will serve as the company’s chief executive officer and chairman of the Board following the recent closing of the divestiture of the company’s ammunition manufacturing division and in connection with the settlement of litigation between Urvan and the company.

Urvan commented, “I am excited to step into the executive role to drive the core GunBroker business and lead the company’s recent repositioning of the publicly traded holding company as Outdoor Holding Company. Although there is a lot of hard work ahead, we are going to build a winning culture and set clear operating principles to guide us to success. I look forward to providing updates to all of my fellow shareholders and stakeholders in the coming quarters in a renewed spirit of openness and transparency.”

The company’s Board of Directors determined that Urvan is the “right leader for the company given his extensive expertise in building, growing and investing in technology and e-commerce companies, which he developed in part by founding GunBroker.com and leading that business for 22 years,” said the company.

As part of the leadership transition, Urvan will also be assuming the chairman’s role on the Board.

Fred Wagenhals, the company’s founder and former executive chairman, commented, “As I have stepped into retirement, I have continued to stay focused on the performance of Outdoors Online from my position as a large shareholder. Steve’s upcoming appointment, along with the recent rebrand, reflects a continued dedication to accelerating and supporting the company’s strategic focus on growing its profitable e-commerce segment. I look forward to offering whatever support I can from the shareholder perspective as Steve leverages his significant experience to refocus on capital allocation and ideas that will generate shareholder value for all.”