Reno, Nevada (November 1, 2011) –Over 450 members met last night to kick off the 2011 Annual Expo and Meeting, held at the Grand Sierra Resort in Reno, Nevada. Jack Baumler, NASGW Chairman, welcomed the members and set the stage for three days of productive meetings as distributors, manufacturers, manufacturer’s reps and media prepare for the coming sales year.

Each year at this event, NASGW Awards the top accessory, ammunition and firearms manufacturers who best demonstrate a commitment to two-step distribution and who provide outstanding value and service. A new category was added this year, Optics Manufacturer. Wholesaler members evaluate the performance of this manufacturer on four key criteria; distribution policy, marketing, sales and promotion; logistics and operations and NASGW and industry support. This comprehensive assessment of manufacturer performance has been designed to provide a more balanced appraisal that truly recognizes the best of the best according to NASGW distributor members.

The NASGW is proud to announce this year’s Industry Awards recipients:

2011 Optics Manufacturer of the Year: Leupold and Stevens

2011 Accessories Manufacturer of the Year: Birchwood Casey

2011 Ammunition Manufacturer of the Year: Hornady Manufacturing

2011 Firearms Manufacturer of the Year: Sturm Ruger Company

In addition to the Industry Awards, the NASGW also presents the Chairman’s Award for Industry Leadership. This special honor recognizes an individual, company or organization for their distinguished service to the shooting sports industry.

The 2011 Chairman's Award for Industry Leadership was presented to Hewitt Grant, Chairman of the Board of Ellett Bros., Chapin, SC, in recognition of his 40 plus years of outstanding performance to the sporting goods industry.

For more information about the annual NASGW Industry and Chairman’s Awards, contact Maurice Desmarais, President, 630-596-9006.

National Association of Sporting Goods Wholesalers, 1833 Centre Point Circle, Suite 123, Naperville, IL 60563 or visit the association’s website at wwww.nasgw.org, email: This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it