Savage Arms is reporting that it 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.”
Images courtesy Savage Arms/LinkedIn
