A little over a year ago after the 2014 SHOT Show, Grand View Outdoors sister publication Shooting Sports Retailer interviewed George K. Kollitides, II the Chief Executive Officer of Remington Outdoors, who at the time said that finally Remington was being run by “gun guys.”
But on June 9, according to a press release from Remington, Kollitides has stepped down from his positions with the company to “pursue other interests.”
Jim “Marco” Marcotuli has taken over as President and Chief Executive Officer as well as interim Board Chairman. Marcotuli relies on 25 years of management and operations experience, most recently boosting the market share and growing earnings and revenue at North American Bus Industries. Prior to that appointment, his experience was in the aerospace and automotive industries.
Remington said it expected this and other leadership changes to “accelerate an ongoing transformation at the company,” although it did not spell out what those transformations might be. It also said Remington “seeks to optimize operations and reset the foundational processes needed to deliver consistently superior quality across all products and services.”
Kollitides, who will continue to serve as a paid Senior Advisor for one year, noted that it had been “a tremendous privilege” to lead Remington and that he had “utmost confidence” in the new management team.
During his March, 2014 Shooting Sports Retailer interview, Kollitides claimed, “For the first time in a long time, ‘gun guys’ run the company. We are maniacal about improving quality, consistency and craftsmanship while relentlessly pursuing innovation.” He intended to focus the corporation, he said, on improving production output and, at the same time, “modernization and new product development at every turn.”
Nevertheless Rob McCanna, Remington’s Senior Vice President of Sales said that new CEO Marcotuli brings a “strategic focus and no-nonsense leadership style” that is a “perfect fit” for Remington.
“Over the past nine months Marco has distinguished himself as a visionary operator and remarkably effective change agent who has driven measurable results across our organization,” McCanna said.
Marcotuli has already spearheaded a series of operational improvements with an emphasis on ensuring “consistently high-quality manufacturing, enhanced customer experience and more efficient operations.”
“I am honored to have the opportunity to help write the next chapter for our company,” Marcotuli said, “and to work with our entire team to deliver consistently superior quality and excellence across the enterprise.”
Additional leadership moves at Remington Outdoor Company include the appointment of Board member Jim Campbell, an avid shooter and a life member of the National Rifle Association, as Vice Chairman of the Board.
Remington will also conduct a search for a new Chief Financial Officer to replace Ron Kolka who is retiring in a month. Jeffrey Pritchett, who has been advising the management and finance teams at Remington for the past few months, has been appointed to the Board and will work with Kolka through the CFO transition period.
Current Board members Walter McLallen and James Pike have also decided to retire and the company has initiated a search for a new Board Chair.
