As I’m writing this, I’ve just returned from the first ever Shooting Sports Showcase held in Talladega, Alabama on March 8. The event was sponsored by the Professional Outdoor Media Association (POMA), the Southeastern Outdoor Press Association (SEOPA) and the NASGW. We began talking about this venture before Christmas. All of us were weary and concerned about the impacts COVID was having on the industry because of our inability to get together, network and review products.

Brrrrrr, can someone turn up the heat? The last few weeks have brought record cold and devastation to the American south. The struggles with the Texas power grid were unprecedented, and it will take months for many families across the south to overcome the damage to their homes due to frozen pipes and other damage. For those states impacted, it’s easy to understand just how unprepared they were to handle that type of weather. They just don’t experience those types of cold spells, so they don’t have the equipment, knowledge, or infrastructure to prepare for those conditions. They just weren’t ready for the fight.

NSSF’s Government Relations Team dedicates its time and resources to supporting legislation beneficial to our industry and fighting those bills that infringe on our rights to legally conduct business and compromise everyone’s Second Amendment rights. Team members attend legislative hearings on the federal, state and local levels year-round across the nation, keeping their finger on the pulse of those issues affecting us.

Latest on the Vaccine Eligibility and Essential Services 

As you all know all too well, the federal government deferred much of the decision-making on administration and eligibility of the COVID vaccine to the states and localities, making it very difficult for companies deemed essential last year to ensure that their employees are eligible to get the vaccine.  While we have not found a way to streamline the process, we hope these resources will help you navigate the maze.

Clarity.

For many exhibitors at the NASGW Expo, this isn't your first rodeo. You've attended the Expo once, maybe twice, or perhaps you are one of the many exhibitors who have been in attendance for decades. Regardless of the number of times your company has exhibited, here are some excellent tips to help your week at the Expo be successful. If you are a first time exhibitor, take notes because success at the NASGW Expo starts long before the actual event.

Baton Rouge, La.—Lipsey's, a nationally renowned firearms distributor, is pleased to announce the appointment of Laurie Lipsey Aronson to the National Shooting Sports Foundation's (NSSF) Board of Governors.

I guess you could say this is a January unlike any other. We have seen much hatred spewed in our nation’s capital and politics have become messy. But there’s also much ado about a man who is a constant winner and an overachiever, and that's what the people who support him like about him. Yes, he's been caught in some lies and maybe twisted the truth a little but he's still out there proving his haters wrong time after time. Some people are just jealous of someone who is successful and has money. Throw in a beautiful foreign lingerie model at his side and they hate him even more. You may or may not have wanted him in his role, but he was there and there's nothing you can do about it. I know it’s possibly going to get more heated over the next few weeks, but like him or not, Tom Brady has turned things around in Tampa and now they are headed to the Super Bowl.

First of all, Happy New Year! I am thrilled to welcome the year 2021. I know for certain we have a lot of challenges and changes ahead, but I’m going to use all the grit I have to grind out a successful year, and when and where I struggle, I’ll grin and bear it.

I know you’ve all heard the saying from the Greek philosopher Epictetus, “It’s not what happens to you, but how you react to it that matters.” Well, years ago (in 2008 to be exact), I received a calendar from a local charity that had these sorts of phrases on each daily calendar page. It was filled with inspirational quotes and sayings designed to keep you motivated throughout the year.

The NASGW Expo is a great place to network and connect with decision-makers from around the Shooting Sports Industry. Attendees are typically a who's who of c-suite execs and top-level sales staff there to make decisions about product distribution for the upcoming year. They are the contacts you'd like to make, and if you've attended the NASGW Expo in the last five years, you've probably received an email or been approached about purchasing a list of Expo attendees. These offers are brought to the attention of NASGW each year, but be advised; these offers have no affiliation with NASGW or the actual list of Expo Attendees.