Las Vegas, NV (January 25, 2014) – The American Knife and Tool Institute held its quarterly Board of Regents meeting on the eve of the SHOT Show, the outdoor industry’s largest trade show. More than 1,600 exhibitors, including most AKTI board, advisory and premier members, attend the National Shooting Sports Foundation-sponsored show, which was held Jan. 14-17 at the Sands Expo and Convention Center.
Board of Regents met Monday, Jan. 13 to discuss the efforts to bring the Knife Owners’ Protection Act to the U.S. Senate as a bill and anti-counterfeiting tactics, among other issues.
The next day – the SHOT Show’s official opening day – AKTI held its annual Membership knife drawing. Open to all individual members who renewed or joined AKTI during 2013, the Tuesday drawing was for a limited edition SOG Gunny Fixed Blade Knife. The knife was co-designed by R. Lee Ermey, aka “The Gunny,” and SOG Specialty Knives & Tools. SOG Founder and Chief Designer Spencer Frazer officially drew the winning name, an AKTI individual Ambassador member from Browns Mill, NJ.
Also during the SHOT Show, AKTI Executive Director Jan Billeb and Jennifer Gardner, AKTI Marketing Communications, walked the many miles of aisles to thank members for their support. Exhibiting AKTI members were given their choice of a large hanging sign or a tabletop sign with the AKTI Member logo to display in their booths.
“It was a huge sign of support to see all the AKTI signs around,” Billeb said. “I thought they were well displayed and I was pleased to see that our members were proud to show off their AKTI affiliation.”
Billeb also talked with members about their concerns with the sporting and work knife industry for the coming year.