Back in May, the original founders of GSI outdoor – siblings Don, Ian, and Kathy Scott – successfully reacquired the company. The move returned GSI Outdoors to its status as a family-owned and operated business. This month, GSI Outdoors named outdoor industry veteran Shawn Hostetter (pictured) as its new CEO, effective immediately.
Founded by the Scott siblings 41 years ago, GSI Outdoors has grown from a small distribution company into one of the most recognized brands in the outdoor industry. After selling the company in 2022 to Pelican International, the Scotts remained closely involved in the brand’s operations. Following a period of corporate restructuring at Pelican during the past year, the family saw a clear path to bring the brand back home. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.
“GSI Outdoors has always been more than just a business to us: it is our family’s legacy and a community we have helped build for over forty years,” said Don Scott. “We are incredibly grateful for the opportunity to step back into full ownership and lead this talented team once again.”
The Scott family believes the reacquisition marks a significant “full circle” moment for the outdoor industry, signaling a return to the independent, founder-led spirit that has defined GSI Outdoors since 1985. The Scotts intend to focus on strengthening retail partnerships, expanding product lines, and ensuring the brand remains a staple of the outdoor lifestyle for generations to come.
The hiring of Hostetter brings a level of alignment to GSI Outdoors. Hostetter spent more than 20 years in key leadership positions with Katadyn Group, including a successful decade-long tenure as President of Katadyn North America. His experience leading premier camp cooking and outdoor hard-goods brands, such as Optimus and AlpineAire Foods, gives him a native understanding of GSI’s core categories and retail buyers. Following his time at Katadyn, Hostetter spent the last five years serving as CEO for prominent consumer brands.
“In a market landscape that often feels dominated by short-term corporate pressures, the Scott family’s decision to buy the company back is an inspiring reminder of the power of independence and authentic values,” said Hostetter. “
“My focus will be entirely on supporting our diverse and valued retail network – from our core independent specialty shops to our vital national retail partners – while emphasizing meaningful product development in the camp cooking and hard goods categories where GSI already excels,” he continued.
Hostetter’s priorities will focus on accelerating product innovation and expanding GSI’s lines of technical, durable, and community-centric gear.
“When we brought GSI Outdoors back into family ownership, our immediate priority was finding a leader who had both deep operational expertise and an understanding of our brand’s heritage,” said Don Scott. “Shawn’s impressive track record in the outdoor hard goods space speaks for itself, but it is his commitment to doing business with integrity that made him the perfect fit. We are fully aligned on the future, and we have absolute confidence that Shawn will take GSI to exciting new places while keeping our core values firmly intact.”
