The Blaser Group has promoted Christian Socher to head of sales and CEO of Blaser GmbH. After almost seven years as CEO of Blaser USA, Socher is returning to Germany to lead the global sales efforts of Blaser GmbH.

Industry veteran Jason Evans has been hired as the new CEO of Blaser USA. In this role, Evans will be responsible for all aspects of Blaser USA’s business and will work closely with Socher to ensure a seamless transition.

“It has been an honor to serve as CEO of Blaser USA,” said Socher. “While I will miss running this division and living in Texas, I am excited about my new role as Head of Sales and CEO of Blaser GmbH and once again living in my home country. Blaser is poised for growth on a global scale, and Jason and I will work together to ensure a smooth transition here in the U.S.”

“The Blaser USA portfolio of companies—Blaser, Mauser, J.P. Sauer & Sohn, John Rigby and Minox—are well-known and highly regarded brands, and I am excited to be leading the business as CEO of Blaser USA,” said Evans. “The company’s German rifle, shotgun, and optic lines are known for their exceptional quality. These brands have a tremendous following in Europe and a growing customer base here in the U.S. I look forward to working with the Blaser team and our retail partners to increase consumer demand and continue to grow market share.”

Evans brings more than 25 years of experience in the hunting and shooting sports to his role at Blaser USA. Prior to joining Blaser, he served as director of sales and marketing for Hogue, was vice president of sales and product development for Weatherby, and spent 13 years in various roles at Benelli USA, ultimately serving as the company’s vice president of product development.