Vista Outdoor, Inc. named Andy Keegan, vice president and interim CFO for Vista Outdoor, as CFO of its Sporting Products segment. Jeff Ehrich, acting general counsel and corporate secretary for Vista Outdoor, becomes general counsel and corporate secretary of Sporting Products. Keegan and Ehrich will assume their respective roles with the new Sporting Products Company following a planned separation in the fourth quarter of the calendar year 2023.
The Sporting Products segment includes CCI, Federal, HEVI-Shot, Remington, and Speer. Vista’s Outdoor Products segment includes Bell, Bushnell, Bushnell Golf, CamelBak, Camp Chef, Foresight Sports, Fox Racing, Giro, QuietKat, Simms Fishing, and Stone Glacier.
Keegan joined Vista Outdoor’s predecessor Alliant Techsystems, Inc. in 2012 and has more than 15 years of experience in finance, accounting and treasury. Before his current role, he was the CFO of Vista Outdoor’s Ammunition Business unit from 2017 to 2020, vice president of corporate accounting from 2015 to 2017 and held increasing roles of responsibility within the finance department at ATK before Vista Outdoor’s spinoff. He began his career with Deloitte.
“I have served Vista Outdoor and its ammunition business since their inception eight years ago, and I’m grateful for the opportunity to lead the Sporting Products Company’s financial team as we begin this new chapter,” Keegan said. “The standalone ammunition company that will soon arise from our planned separation will continue to be the industry’s gold standard, and I’m proud to work as CFO on behalf of our employees, customers and shareholders.”
Ehrich has served in various roles with the legal departments of Vista Outdoor and its predecessor, Alliant Techsystems, Inc., which he joined in 2011. Before his current role, he was promoted to deputy general counsel and assistant corporate secretary in 2018. Before that, he was associate general counsel from 2015 to 2018, senior counsel from 2013 to 2015 and counsel from 2011 to 2013. Ehrich began his career as a police officer, then served as a commercial litigator before joining ATK.
“I am honored to be appointed as General Counsel and Corporate Secretary of the new Sporting Products Company and look forward to working with the most talented and dedicated employees in the business,” Ehrich said. “After spending more than a decade with Vista Outdoor and its predecessors, I’m proud to carry on my duties with a world-class ammunition manufacturer.”
Keegan and Ehrich join Jason Vanderbrink on the Sporting Products Company’s executive team. Vanderbrink, president and CEO of the Sporting Products segment, was appointed to the Vista Outdoor Board of Directors, effective August 21, and will serve on the Sporting Products Company’s board post-spin.
“Adding Andy and Jeff to the Sporting Products Company leadership team is an important step in the separation process,” Vanderbrink said. “By filling those two key positions, we can hit the ground running the moment Sporting Products begins operating as an independent company. We already have the best team in the ammunition business, and securing these appointments in advance of spin means we won’t miss a beat during the transition.”
Update on Sporting Products Company
After the spin, Sporting Products will continue as an ammunition manufacturer, whose name and branding will be announced in August. Its brands, including Alliant Powder, Federal, Remington, CCI, Speer, Estate Cartridge and HEVI-Shot, are used by hunters, recreational shooters and law enforcement worldwide. Sporting Products will continue to drive growth, operational efficiencies and cash flow by leveraging its operational expertise, scale and customer relationships.
Sporting Products’ capital allocation strategy will prioritize using its cash flow for returning capital to shareholders.
Separation Update
On May 5, 2022, Vista Outdoor reported it planned to separate its Outdoor Products and Sporting Products segments into two independent, publicly traded companies. The company expects to create these companies through a tax-free spinoff of its Outdoor Products segment to Vista Outdoor shareholders.
The company is on track to execute the separation in calendar 2023. The Form 10 has been confidentially submitted to the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).
