Buck Knives has appointed Lane Tobiassen as president. Most recently, Tobiassen was president of Smith & Wesson the Firearms Division of American Outdoor Brands. He joins the company in April.
As head of the Firearms Division of American Outdoor Brands, he led the marketing, product development and sales functions at the firearms manufacturer, which included Smith & Wesson, M&P, Performance Center, and Thompson/Center firearms brands. Prior to that, he spent 14 years with Crimson Trace, the tactical laser sight and sport optics company in the roles of marketing director, president and CEO. Before Crimson Trace, Tobiassen served as vice president of marketing with LaCrosse Footwear for LaCrosse and Danner, Inc brands. He also served on the Board of Directors for Nosler, Inc., the ammunition and hunting rifle manufacturer, and was a founding member of a Vistage CEO Group.
Tobiassen will look to accelerate growth by further optimizing the new product development cycle and strengthen the Buck Knives brand and its more than 120-year knife-making legacy.
“The final piece of the puzzle was to bring in outside expertise to lead the daily operations. This is the first “non-family” president in the history of our company. It is a testament to the family’s commitment to making our company more robust and less vulnerable to fluctuations in our marketplace or the broader economy. We continue on with the strategies we have been implementing over the last three years with a renewed clarity on flawless execution,” said CJ Buck, CEO and chairman of Buck Knives.
With more than 20 years of experience in marketing, sales and product development, Tobiassen will optimize new product development while widening the market for Buck Knives.
“I am very excited to lead the team at Buck Knives,” said Tobiassen. “It’s such an honor to be welcomed into this family, and my experience in the outdoor industry and firearms market gives me the insight and perspective needed to drive growth strategies forward and execute on an exciting period of growth for Buck Knives,” he added.
Photo courtesy Lane Tobiassen
