November 2012
| Business World Magazine | 151
compliance in every state.
They spend a great deal of time ensur-
ing all legislations are met, which are inspect-
ed regularly by federal agencies. Everything
necessary is done to encourage a safe and re-
sponsible use of their products and services
to the general public. “It is a significant por-
tion of the industry’s paperwork, if you will,”
he says.
In facing this challenge, NASGW
has achieved tremendous success. Recent-
ly, they’ve been informed by the Bureau of
Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms that their
members are exemplary in compliance and
co-operation with the regulations.
BRIGHT FUTURE
The future for the National Association of
Sporting Goods Wholesalers – and the in-
dustry they represent – is a bright one. The
last four or five years have seen steady growth
in sales and new membership. The industry
has been making significant upgrades, re-
tooling and investment in modernizing its
plants, operations and capacity. Quality con-
trol is extremely important with extensive
testing of its products.
The recent Olympic wins by the U.S. shoot-
ing team and increased media coverage dur-
ing the Olympic Games has created a grow-
ing interest and desire by young and old alike
to participate in the sport. “The U.S. Olym-
pic shooting team received many medals this
year, which provides a lot more coverage of
the sport,” Desmarais says.
Archery is also gaining interest, particularly
among women – a fact that can be attributed,
at least partly, to The Hunger Games novels.
A lot of the member companies are devoting
significant resources to helping schools, col-
leges and youth groups in developing archery
programs. “We’re pleased with the results