Buck Knives has named outdoor industry veteran Lane Tobiassen to the role of President.
Taking the helm of companywide leadership for all core business elements from sales, marketing, finance, product development, and operations, Tobiassen will look to accelerate growth and strengthen the iconic Buck Knives brand and its 120-plus year knife-making legacy.
Most recently, Tobiassen was President of the Firearms Division of American Outdoor Brands, better known as Smith & Wesson. In that capacity he led the marketing, product development, and sales functions at the industry-leading 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, a tactical laser sight and sport optics company in the roles of Marketing Director, President and CEO.
Buck Knives, a fourth-generation family-owned company, sought outside expertise as part of an overall company strategy to improve business-wide operations and secure additional market share. Buck Knives has spent the last three years focusing on segmented sales channels, price and value initiatives, and refining product development and manufacturing processes.
“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 make 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 & Chairman of Buck Knives.
With more than 20 years of experience in marketing, sales, and product development at industry-leading outdoor brands, Tobiassen will optimize the new product development cycle to bring products to fruition, while widening the market for Buck Knives.
