NEW ULM, Minnesota (www.ammoland.com) – The Archery Trade Association (ATA) has revitalized its Retail Council to provide more guidance and support to the organization’s retail members.
During the archery industry’s strategic-planning meeting in May that drew nearly 40 business leaders to Minneapolis, the group focused on how to best help retailers grow their stores and become stronger.
Whether it’s best-practice statements or ongoing support for retailers, the attendees agreed the ATA must first revitalize its Retail Council to improve the industry’s archery and bowhunting markets.
“Things are changing,” said ATA President/CEO Jay McAninch. “It’s clear from our strategic planning meeting that our industry understands that its success depends largely on the success of archery and bowhunting retailers. The ATA’s Retail Council is rejuvenated, highly engaged and ready to help forge a better future for everyone in our industry.”
The Retail Council is led by members of the ATA Board of Directors, including Council Chair Mark Copeland, general manager of Jay’s Sporting Goods in Michigan. Copeland also serves on the ATA Board’s Executive Committee. Copeland is joined by Vice Chair Randy Phillips, owner of Archery Headquarters in Arizona; and Peter Gussie, owner of Midwest Cimmarron Archery in Illinois.
“There’s so much work to be done,” Copeland said. “We’ve needed an active and engaged platform for retailers to discuss important issues where the conversation is educational and productive. I keep hearing that retailers are the industry’s backbone. I’m appealing to every archery retailer to use our backbone to step up and be part of the solution.”
McAninch named Michelle Zeug, ATA’s director of community and international programs, to serve as staff liaison to the Retail Council. “We’re trying to focus more of our staff time on these critical issues,” McAninch said. “There’s nothing more important to us than helping ATA’s members succeed.”
Zeug echoed McAninch’s thoughts. “I’m excited to help lead the charge to rejuvenate ATA’s Retail Council,” she said. “As we’ve built the Retail Growth Initiative the past three years, we’ve needed core retailers to help develop best practices for the industry’s ‘backbone,’ and now we have it. I look forward to working with the Council to expand this program to help make retailers more efficient and profitable.”
The Retail Council meets weekly to discuss pressing issues raised during May’s strategic-planning meeting. Its members expect best-practice statements to emerge as the Council’s agenda takes shape. To learn more or to get involved in the Retail Council, contact Michelle Zeug.
About the ATA
The Archery Trade Association (ATA) is the organization for manufacturers, retailers, distributors, sales representatives and others working in the archery and bowhunting industry. The ATA has served its members since 1953. It is dedicated to making the industry profitable by decreasing business overhead, reducing taxes and government regulation, and increasing participation in archery and bowhunting. The organization also owns and operates the ATA Trade Show, the archery and bowhunting industry’s largest and longest-running trade show worldwide.