CEO PRESENTATION ANNOUNCEMENTS FOR THE 2024 SPRING SEMI-ANNUAL MARKET | |
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We are excited to announce that we will have three CEO Presentations in the Member Meeting Room during the 2024 Spring Semi-Annual Market.
Mark Smith (Smith & Wesson), Bruce Pettet (Leupold & Stevens), and Jason Hornady (Hornady) will all give 30-minute presentations at varying times on Friday, February 2. Each CEO will present for approximately 20 minutes, followed by a 10-minute Q&A session.
Below you will find the CEO Presentation Schedule and Bios for each CEO.
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PRESENTATION SCHEDULE: FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 2 | |
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Mark Smith
Smith & Wesson
President & CEO
8:00am - 8:30am
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Bruce Pettet
Leupold & Stevens
President & CEO
8:30am - 9:00am
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Jason Hornady
Hornady
Vice President
12:00pm - 12:30pm
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Mark Smith joined Smith & Wesson in 2010 as the Vice President of Manufacturing and Supply Chain Management, where he oversaw all aspects of Smith & Wesson’s manufacturing and distribution operations. He continued serving as the executive in charge of operations in various roles until January 2020, when he was appointed to his current role as President and Chief Executive Officer.
Mark has always enjoyed working in manufacturing environments, and prior to his tenure with Smith & Wesson, began his career in 2000 as a night-shift foreman for a small chemical plant operated by Bell Aromatics in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. He was offered an opportunity in 2001 to join Ecolab, Inc. – a global developer and marketer of programs, products, and services for the hospitality, food service, healthcare, industrial, and energy markets – where he worked in various operational management roles in Illinois and Minnesota from 2001 until 2007. In 2007, he was recruited by the boutique consulting firm of Alvarez & Marsal to assist and advise clients on operational improvement strategies and assist in bankruptcy turnarounds, where he worked until he joined Smith & Wesson in 2010.
Mark grew up in the woods of northern Canada and is a passionate outdoorsman, hunter, fisherman, and defender of the 2nd Amendment. He holds a BS in Chemical Engineering from Purdue University, is happily married with two children, and is in the process of relocating to the Knoxville, Tennessee, area with his family.
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Bruce Pettet is the President and CEO of Leupold & Stevens, Inc., the world’s leader in performance sporting and tactical optics employing more than 700 people in Beaverton, Oregon. He serves on the Board of Governors for the National Shooting Sports Foundation, the Congressional Sportsman’s Foundation, the Board of Directors of Honored American Veterans Afield (HAVA), and the Board of Directors of Stimson Lumber Company.
Prior to joining Leupold & Stevens, Bruce was the President and CEO of Collective International, LLC, a Denver, Colorado-based leading youth lifestyle, athletic performance, and global licensing firm, which he founded in 2004. Prior to 2004, he held the positions of President and CEO at Airwalk International and President and CEO at Brooks Sports, Inc. He also previously served as the Chairman of the Board of Directors of Mrs. Field’s Famous Brands, LLC.
In addition to his professional experience, Bruce was named one of the “Marketing 100” by Advertising Age Magazine and an “Industry Pacesetter” by Sporting Goods Business Magazine. He was also named to the Honorary Commanders of Portland's Air National Guard's 142nd Operations Support Flight Group.
During his tenure at Leupold & Stevens, the Company has been awarded 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, & 2022 NASGW Optics Manufacturer of the Year, 2018 & 2020 Guns & Ammo Optic of the Year, 2015, 2016, 2018, 2019, 2020 & 2022 NRA Golden Bullseye Award for Product Innovation and has received the 2016 Oregon Ethics in Business award. Leupold & Stevens was also the one manufacturer chosen by the White House to represent Oregon during its “Made in America” product showcase.
Outside of his professional duties with Leupold & Stevens, Pettet holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Management from Pepperdine University, a Certificate Degree in Entrepreneurship from Cal State Fullerton, and has completed Executive Education in Business Strategy at Dartmouth. He is married with three children. Pettet is an avid outdoor sports enthusiast and resides in Portland, Oregon.
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Jason Hornady is Vice President of Hornady Manufacturing Co. in Grand Island, Nebraska, son of president Steve and grandson of founder Joyce Hornady. Jason joined Hornady Manufacturing in 2006 to manage company operations and facilitate growth from a small company to an industry leader in firearm ammunition, bullets, reloading equipment, and security products. Through his insight, the company has averaged double-digit sales increases each of the past sixteen years.
Jason graduated from the University of Wyoming in 1992 with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with a focus in Marketing. Upon graduating, he became a manufacturer's representative for Sportco Marketing, Inc. maintaining 200 accounts, 40 of which were key accounts, for more than 20 factories. After four years of road sales success, he was hired by Redfield Inc. and promoted to Director of Sales and Marketing. Given the task of remarketing the company and its product line, he immediately began to better position them for sale to a strategic buyer. While at Redfield, he directed all aspects of sales, marketing, and product development including the management of global sales representatives, advertising agency, and public relations. Redfield, through years of mismanagement, was too far gone to save, and the company was foreclosed on and provided Jason with a series of valuable business lessons.
In 1998, Jason was hired and promoted to Director by Dunkin-Lewis, Inc. Upon his arrival, he managed sales for over 50 manufacturers with accounts including Cabela's, Walmart, TSA, and Academy Sports & Outdoors. Through his hard work and determination, he was able to grow sales to Cabela's by 450% and Academy Sports by more than 100% in his eight years. During his tenure, he managed sales for 20 manufacturers in 5 states while supervising other salespeople and their territories.
Jason moved from Colorado to Nebraska and joined the family business, Hornady Mfg. Co., in 2006 to help position the company for growth. One year after his arrival, he was named Vice President. With the responsibility of managing Profit & Loss for all company operations, Jason led the introduction of over 1,000 new products vastly increasing the scope of the small family-owned business thus far. Mr. Hornady was the key to three separate facility expansion projects directly correlating to significant company growth and adding new employees to the original 196 when he first started. The company recently hit a level of 20 times the size it was when he started.
Throughout his 20+ year career, Jason Hornady has been recognized as an industry leader several times including Rep of the Year honors from nine different companies as well as being appointed to the Congressional Sportsman's Foundation Board which he is the outgoing Chairman. Hornady has a family policy that a family member cannot return to the company until they are 30 years old.
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