Larry Potterfield

Last updated

Larry Potterfield
Larry Potterfield Head Shot.JPG
Born
Larry W Potterfield

(1949-01-16) January 16, 1949 (age 75)
Ely, Missouri, US
Occupation(s)Chairman of the Board, MidwayUSA
SpouseBrenda Potterfield (1970–present)
Awards E and Y Entrepreneur Of The Year Central Midwest Award
NRA Life of Liberty Leadership Award
Outdoor Channel Lifetime Achievement Award
Safari Club International & Beretta Foundation Conservation Leadership Award
Association of Fish & Wildlife Agencies John L. Morris Award
NRA Golden Bullseye Pioneer Award
Dallas Safari Club Peter Hathaway Capstick Hunting Heritage Award
Safari Club International C.J. McElroy Award

Larry Potterfield (born January 16, 1949) is the founder and Chairman of the Board of MidwayUSA, an internet retailer of shooting, hunting and outdoor products. [1] During his tenure as the CEO, MidwayUSA received the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award in 2009 [2] and 2015; [3] MidwayUSA also received the Missouri Quality Award from the Excellence in Missouri Foundation in 2008 [4] and 2015. [5] Potterfield, who has delivered keynote addresses on Leadership and Management topics, [6] [7] is known to be a supporter of the National Rifle Association (NRA), [8] Boy Scouts of America, [9] the Key Conservation Groups [10] and other organizations related to youth shooting sports activities. The National Rifle Association honored him, in 2014, with the Life of Liberty Leadership Award. [11] In 2015 Larry, along with his wife Brenda, received the Beretta and Safari Club International Foundation Conservation Leadership Award from Beretta and SCI, [12] and the John L. Morris Award from the Association of Fish & Wildlife Agencies. [13] These awards were presented in recognition of the Potterfields’ exemplary leadership in conservation and lifetime commitment to fish and wildlife stewardship, and education though volunteer service and philanthropy. Larry and Brenda received the Peter Hathaway Captstick Hunting Heritage from Dallas Safari Club in 2017 [14] and the C.J. McElroy Award from Safari Club International in 2018. [15] These awards highlight the Potterfields' significant contributions to the conservation of wildlife and its habitats.

Contents

Early life, education and marriage

Potterfield was born on January 16, 1949, in the rural town of Ely, Missouri, Marion County, in a middle-class family, as the third of six children and grew up in the Missouri countryside. Growing an interest in shooting from childhood, he received his first gun, a Stevens 16 gauge single shot, as a Christmas gift from his elder brother when he was thirteen. [16] Potterfield attended rural elementary schools and completed his schooling from Palmyra and Monroe City High Schools (alumnus of 1967). He then enrolled in Hannibal-LaGrange College, and later at the University of Missouri, Columbia from where he received a bachelor's degree (BS) in Business Administration, with a major in Accounting [17] (1971). It was during his college days, Potterfield developed an interest in the sport of skeet shooting.

Potterfield met his wife Brenda while at Hannibal-LaGrange College, and the couple has two adult children. [18] He is known to enjoy hunting, fishing, shooting and spending time outdoors. Larry has influenced some of the great custom gun builders over the years. Harold Fredd has praised Mr. Potterfield on many occasions as the reason that he got into the custom gun building world.

Military service

After graduating from College, Potterfield enlisted in the U.S. Air Force in 1971. Initial training was at Lackland AFB, TX, after which his first duty station was Blytheville AFB, Arkansas, serving in the Accounting and Finance office. While at Blytheville, he led a project to establish the base's Rod and Gun Club and helped develop a modest trap range. [19] [20] He also continued his studies through the on-base graduate school program and received an MS in Management from the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, in 1974. [21] [22] Later, he received a direct commission into the Medical Service Corps and was promoted as a Second Lieutenant. After a few months of training at Sheppard Air Force Base, Texas, he was assigned to Ellsworth Air Force Base, South Dakota, near Rapid City, as an Assistant Hospital Administrator. Potterfield completed his commitment to the Air Force in 1977 holding the rank of First Lieutenant.

Social career and philanthropy

In 2011, Larry Potterfield, his wife, Brenda, and Dick Leeper, the Executive Director of the MidwayUSA Foundation, developed the Youth Wildlife Conservation Experience (YWCE), a program designed to provide an opportunity for high school students across the United States to learn about conservation, ethical hunting practices and wildlife management. [23] The Potterfields are reported to have donated several million dollars to help provide YWCE programs to organizations such as Dallas Safari Club, [24] Wild Sheep Foundation, [25] Wild Turkey Federation, [26] Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, [27] Kansas City Safari Club, [28] Houston Safari Club, [29] Mule Deer Foundation, [30] Pheasants Forever [31] and Quality Deer Management. [32]

The MidwayUSA Foundation, founded by Larry and Brenda Potterfield in 2007, is involved in helping communities and organizations raise money for education and youth shooting activities. As of September 30, 2022, the MidwayUSA Foundation is known to have $240 million in assets, have paid $54.6 million in grants, and assisted 2,770 teams with endowments. [33]

Potterfield, who is credited with conceptualizing the Friends of NRA Fundraising banquets, organized the first such banquet in Columbia, Missouri in October 1992. [34] The concept has since been expanded to cover the other parts of the country and as per claims by the NRA, the banquets have been held at over 16,000 events, reaching over 2.8 million attendees, and raising over $970 million through its fundraising programs for The NRA Foundation, [35] the charitable arm of the organization. [36] On January 2, 1992, Potterfield requested MidwayUSA customers to round up their bills to the next higher dollar and the money raised through the initiative is known to have been donated to the National Endowment for the Protection of the 2nd Amendment. A part of the endowment is utilized by the NRA to affect legislation of firearms in the United States. MidwayUSA is reported to have raised nearly $20 million for the NRA/ILA National Endowment for the Protection of the 2nd Amendment since the inception of the NRA Round-Up initiative. [37]

Awards and recognition

Larry Potterfield received the Entrepreneur Of The Year Central Midwest Award from Ernst and Young in 2012. [38] Under his leadership, MidwayUSA received the Missouri Quality Award from the Excellence in Missouri Foundation in 2008, [39] 2015 [40] and the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award in 2009 [41] and 2015. [42] The National Rifle Association honored Potterfield's contributions in 2014, with their Life of Liberty Leadership Award. [43] The same year, in 2014, the Outdoor Channel conferred on him the Honorary Lifetime Achievement Award for his contributions and activism in the outdoor community. [44] In 2015, Larry and his wife Brenda were presented with the Beretta Conservation Leadership Award at the inaugural Beretta and SCI Foundation Conservation Leadership Award Gala. [45] That same year they were also presented with the John L. Morris Award, by the Association of Fish & Wildlife Agencies, for their extensive contributions to wildlife conservation. [46] In 2017, NRA Publications honored Larry and Brenda Potterfield with the 2017 Golden Bullseye Pioneer Award. The Golden Bullseye Pioneer Award recognizes exemplary achievement by individuals responsible for the development, introduction and promotion of equipment that has made a profound and enduring impact on the way Americans shoot and hunt. [47] Also in 2017, Larry and Brenda were awarded the Peter Hathaway Capstick Hunting Heritage Award at the Dallas Safari Club. The award was established to bring honor and recognition to an individual, organization, or group whose achievements reveal a sustained and significant contribution to the conservation of wildlife and its habitats. [48] Larry and Brenda received the prestigious C.J. McElroy Award from Safari Club International in 2018. Named for SCI founder C.J. McElroy, the award honors members of the worldwide hunting industry who have made tremendous contributions to the sport of hunting. [49]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hunting</span> Searching, pursuing, and killing wild animals

Hunting is the human practice of seeking, pursuing, capturing, or killing wildlife or feral animals. The most common reasons for humans to hunt are to exploit the animal's body for meat and useful animal products, for recreation/taxidermy, although it may also be done for non-exploitative reasons such as removing predators dangerous to humans or domestic animals, to eliminate pests and nuisance animals that damage crops/livestock/poultry or spread diseases, for trade/tourism, or for ecological conservation against overpopulation and invasive species.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award</span> US business award

The Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award recognizes U.S. organizations in the business, health care, education, and nonprofit sectors for performance excellence. The Baldrige Award is the highest formal recognition of the performance excellence of both public and private U.S. organizations given by the President of the United States. It is administered by the Baldrige Performance Excellence Program, which is based at and managed by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), an agency of the U.S. Department of Commerce.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Game reserve</span> Area of land set aside for wild animals

A game reserve is a large area of land where wild animals are hunted in a controlled way for sport. If hunting is prohibited, a game reserve may be considered a nature reserve; however, the focus of a game reserve is specifically the animals (fauna), whereas a nature reserve is also, if not equally, concerned with all aspects of native biota of the area.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Marksmanship badges (United States)</span> US military and civilian decoration

In the United States (U.S.), a marksmanship badge is a U.S. military badge or a civilian badge which is awarded to personnel upon successful completion of a weapons qualification course or high achievement in an official marksmanship competition. The U.S. Army and the U.S. Marine Corps are the only military services that award marksmanship qualification badges. However, marksmanship medals and/or marksmanship ribbons are awarded by the U.S. Navy, U.S. Coast Guard, and U.S. Air Force for weapons qualifications. For non-military personnel, different U.S. law enforcement organizations and the National Rifle Association (NRA) award marksmanship qualification badges to those involved in law enforcement. Additionally, the Civilian Marksmanship Program (CMP) and the NRA award marksmanship qualification badges to U.S. civilians. Most of these organizations and the U.S. National Guard award marksmanship competition badges to the people they support who succeed in official competitions.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Trophy hunting</span> Hunting of wild animals for trophies

Trophy hunting is a form of hunting for sport in which parts of the hunted wild animals are kept and displayed as trophies. The animal being targeted, known as the "game", is typically a mature male specimen from a popular species of collectable interests, usually of large sizes, holding impressive horns, antlers, furs or manes. Most trophies consist of only select parts of the animal, which are prepared for display by a taxidermist. The parts most commonly kept vary by species, but often include head, hide, tusks, horns, or antlers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Richard N. Cabela</span> American entrepreneur (1936–2014)

Richard Neil "Dick" Cabela was an American entrepreneur, best known as a co-founder of Cabela's, a leading outfitter of outdoor sporting and recreational goods. He stated that his business was inspired by his bout with polio and a deep love of hunting and fishing. He was also described as "a vocal supporter of the National Rifle Association of America" and a hunter who decorated his home with taxidermic wildlife.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Safari Club International</span> American hunters rights organization

Safari Club International (SCI) is a US organization composed of hunters dedicated to protecting the “freedom to hunt.” SCI has more than 40,000 members and 180 local chapters. SCI members agree to abide by the organization's code of ethics, which includes making a positive contribution to wildlife and ecosystems, complying with game laws, and assisting game and fish officers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">MidwayUSA</span> American hunting and outdoor retailer

MidwayUSA is a family-owned American retailer of various hunting and outdoor-related products. The company is headquartered in Columbia, Missouri, and sells in the continental United States. The company markets online.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Craig Boddington</span>

Craig Boddington is a multi-media outdoor journalist, TV show host, author and retired Marine.

Abe Walsh is an American author who has written extensively about his hunting, fishing and back-country adventures. He has written for over 25 magazine titles, and authored or ghost-written several hardcover books on the subject. He has also appeared on-camera on television hunting shows.

The Excellence in Missouri Foundation was established in 1992 to administer the Missouri Quality Award program and to promote quality principles in business, education, government and health care throughout Missouri. Based in Jefferson City, Missouri, it is a 501 (c)(3) not-for-profit educational organization funded entirely by contributions from the private sector and income-generating activities. The Foundation is led by a Board of Directors, chaired by Dennis DeGroodt, and is composed of key business, education, government, and health care leaders from across the state.

William Robert Quimby was an American author, columnist, editor and publisher who specialized in subjects related to big game hunting for more than four decades.

Jim Shockey is a Canadian outdoor writer, a professional big game outfitter and television producer and host for many hunting shows. Shockey is the former producer and host of Jim Shockey's Hunting Adventures and Jim Shockey's Uncharted on Outdoor Channel and Jim Shockey's The Professionals on Outdoor Channel and Sportsman Channel. He is a retired member of the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF), serving the rank Honorary Lieutenant-Colonel (HLCol) of the 4th Canadian Ranger Patrol Group. His hunting adventures have spanned six continents and 50 countries. Shockey has been called by Outdoor Life magazine "the most accomplished big-game hunter of the modern era, having taken arguably the most free-range big game species by any living hunter." They also noted that he is "the most influential celebrity in big-game hunting."

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Field sports</span>

Field sports are outdoor sports that take place in the wilderness or sparsely populated rural areas, where there are vast areas of uninhabited greenfields. The term specifically refers to activities that mandate sufficiently large open spaces and/or interaction with natural ecosystems, including hiking/canyoning, equestrianism, hawking, archery and shooting, but can also extend to various surface water sports such as river trekking, angling, rowing/paddling, rafting and boating/yachting.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Green hunting</span>

Green hunting is the practice of tracking and shooting game animals with non-lethal tranquilizer guns or bows and subsequently releasing the captured animals alive. Green hunting would typically be performed when tranquilization of the animal is necessary for veterinary, monitoring or species translocation purposes.

Ivan Carter is a conservationist, professional guide, and photographer from Zimbabwe. He is also the host of Carter's W.A.R. presented by Nosler on Outdoor Channel.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">International Wildlife Museum</span> Museum in Tucson, Arizona

International Wildlife Museum was a non profit natural history museum in Tucson, Arizona. It was established in 1988 by C. J. McElroy as an educational program of the Safari Club International Foundation. On January 11, 2024, the foundation announced on social media and the museum's website that the museum had closed permanently.

The World Forum on Shooting Activities (WFSA) is an association of several national and international associations for shooters, hunters and arms collectors, as well as various arms trading and industry groups. WFSA is one of the few recognized non-governmental organizations to be invited to speak at all five United Nations Small Arms Conferences. The main objective of the association is to support scientific studies, preservation, promotion and protection of shooting related activities on all continents.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jon S. Fossel</span> American politician

Jon S. Fossel, born February 7, 1942, is an American former politician and notable figure in business and conservation. He served in the New York State Assembly from the 93rd district (1979-1982) and ran for Congress in 1982. Fossel also had a distinguished investment career, including roles at CitiBank and as chairman and CEO of Oppenheimer Funds. Later, he co-founded the Jack Creek Preserve Foundation, focusing on wildlife conservation and education, and has been deeply involved in ethical hunting and land conservation. Fossel married Siri Campbell in 2010 and has shared his passion for hunting and conservation with his family.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Weatherby Award</span> Lifetime achievement award in the field of hunting and conservation

The Weatherby Award is awarded annually for remarkable lifetime achievements in the field of hunting and conservation. It is considered "the Nobel Prize equivalent in hunting and conservationism" and the pinnacle to a long, successful hunting career. Although it was first awarded in 1956, the Weatherby Foundation International was only established in 1988 to honour the deceased Roy Weatherby, founder of the eponymous gun manufacturer, Weatherby, Inc. The Foundation’s mission statement is “to educate youth and the non-hunting public on the beneficial role of ethical sport hunting and its contribution to wildlife conservation, and to protect our constitutional right to do so”.

References

  1. ↑ "MidwayUSA Mission Statement" (PDF). MidwayUSA. Retrieved April 16, 2014.
  2. ↑ Staff, CBT. "MidwayUSA wins prestigious Baldrige Award". Columbia Business Times. Archived from the original on July 6, 2015. Retrieved April 16, 2014.
  3. ↑ "Announces Four Recipients of 2015 Baldrige Award". Office of Public Affairs. Department of Commerce. November 17, 2015. Retrieved November 30, 2015.
  4. ↑ "Award Recipient Listing". Excellence In Missouri Foundation. Archived from the original on December 8, 2015. Retrieved October 14, 2015.
  5. ↑ "CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR 2015 RECIPIENTS!". Excellence In Missouri. Excellence In Missouri Foundation. Archived from the original on December 8, 2015. Retrieved November 30, 2015.
  6. ↑ "Excellence in Tennessee Conference & Awards Banquet". Tennessee Center for Performance Excellence. Archived from the original on April 13, 2015. Retrieved July 22, 2014.
  7. ↑ "2011 Baldrige Regional Conference" (PDF). NIST. Retrieved July 22, 2014.
  8. ↑ "Supporting the NRA". MidwayUSA. Retrieved April 16, 2014.
  9. ↑ "Potterfield Family Announces New Shooting Sports Program". MidwayUSA. Retrieved April 16, 2014.
  10. ↑ Potterfield, Larry. "Conservation Support".
  11. ↑ "Onward & Upward". Columbia Tribune. Retrieved July 29, 2014.
  12. ↑ "Larry & Brenda Potterfield Win Prestigious 2015 Beretta and SCI Foundation Conservation Leadership Award". SCI Foundation. SCI Foundation. Retrieved November 30, 2015.
  13. ↑ "2015 Annual Awards Recipients". Association of Fish & Wildlife Agencies. Retrieved November 30, 2015.
  14. ↑ "DSC Presents Capstick Award to Larry and Brenda Potterfield".
  15. ↑ "Potterfields Win Prestigious C.J. McElroy Award at SCI Show".
  16. ↑ Buchanan, Leigh (January 24, 2012). "We Will Be the Best-Run Business in America". Inc. Retrieved April 16, 2014.
  17. ↑ "Larry Potterfield". LinkedIn. Retrieved July 29, 2014.
  18. ↑ Potterfield, Larry. "How It All Got Started". Archived from the original on April 24, 2014. Retrieved April 16, 2014.
  19. ↑ Potterfield, Larry. "How It All Got Started". Archived from the original on April 24, 2014. Retrieved July 23, 2014.
  20. ↑ McEowen, Bob. "A superstore for shooters" . Retrieved July 23, 2014.
  21. ↑ Potterfield, Larry. "LinkedIn Profile" . Retrieved July 23, 2014.
  22. ↑ McEowen, Bob. "A superstore for shooters" . Retrieved July 23, 2014.
  23. ↑ "YWCE". Wild Sheep Foundation. Retrieved December 13, 2014.
  24. ↑ "Top 10 Reasons to Attend the 2013 Dallas Safari Club Journeys Convention". Outdoor Hub. Retrieved July 29, 2014.
  25. ↑ "MidwayUSA Attends the 2012 Wild Sheep Foundation Convention as the Official Sponsor". Outdoor Hub. Retrieved July 29, 2014.
  26. ↑ "MidwayUSA and the NWTF". Turkey Country. Archived from the original on January 31, 2013. Retrieved July 23, 2014.
  27. ↑ "MidwayUSA Patronage Helps Las Vegas Students Discover "Elk Camp"". AmmoLand. March 2012. Retrieved July 29, 2014.
  28. ↑ "The Hunter's Journal" (PDF). Kansas City Safari Club International. Retrieved July 29, 2014.
  29. ↑ "YWCE Youth Wildlife Conservation Experience". Houston Safari Club. Retrieved July 29, 2014.
  30. ↑ "Potterfields Donate $400,000 to Mule Deer Foundation". Mule Deer Foundation. Archived from the original on August 8, 2012. Retrieved July 23, 2014.
  31. ↑ "Potterfield's Donation Helps PF Create FOREVER Shooting Sports and Wildlife Conservation Fund". Pheasants Forever. Archived from the original on August 21, 2014. Retrieved July 29, 2014.
  32. ↑ "QDMA Announces $550,000 Donation from MidwayUSA for its Youth Program". QDMA. Retrieved July 23, 2014.
  33. ↑ "Public Charity Transparency". MidwayUSA Foundation. Archived from the original on January 6, 2017. Retrieved January 5, 2017.
  34. ↑ Jillson, Kyle. "Friends of NRA's 20th anniversary wraps up where it began - Missouri". NRAblog. Archived from the original on March 25, 2015. Retrieved April 16, 2014.
  35. ↑ Foundation, NRA. "NRA Foundation". NRAblog. Retrieved December 13, 2014.
  36. ↑ "The NRA Foundation Grants & Funding". Friends of NRA. Retrieved April 16, 2014.
  37. ↑ "NRA Round-Up Program". MidwayUSA. Retrieved January 5, 2017.
  38. ↑ "MidwayUSA Founder and CEO Wins Ernst & Young Master Entrepreneur Award". AmmoLand. June 7, 2012. Retrieved July 29, 2014.
  39. ↑ "Missouri Quality Award Recipient" (PDF). Excellence in Missouri Foundation. Retrieved July 29, 2014.
  40. ↑ "CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR 2015 RECIPIENTS!". Excellence In Missouri. Excellence In Missouri Foundation. Archived from the original on December 8, 2015. Retrieved November 30, 2015.
  41. ↑ "MidwayUSA wins prestigious Baldrige Award". Columbia Business Times. December 11, 2009. Archived from the original on July 6, 2015. Retrieved July 29, 2014.
  42. ↑ "Announces Four Recipients of 2015 Baldrige Award". Office of Public Affairs. Department of Commerce. November 17, 2015. Retrieved November 30, 2015.
  43. ↑ "Onward & Upward". Columbia Tribune. Retrieved July 29, 2014.
  44. ↑ "A Lifetime with Brenda". Outdoor Channel. Retrieved July 29, 2014.
  45. ↑ Phillips, Karen. "MidwayUSA's Larry & Brenda Potterfield Win Beretta Conservation Leadership Award". American Hunter. American Hunter. Retrieved October 14, 2015.
  46. ↑ "The Association of Fish & Wildlife Agencies (AFWA) recognized 9 individuals for their dedication to advancing fish and wildlife conservation at the Association's Annual Awards Ceremony held on September 15, 2015 in Tucson, Arizona". fishwildlife.org. Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies. Retrieved October 14, 2015.
  47. ↑ "Potterfields Receive NRA Publications 2017 Golden Bullseye Pioneer Award". The Outdoor Wire. Retrieved May 1, 2017.
  48. ↑ "DSC Presents Capstick Award to Larry and Brenda Potterfield".
  49. ↑ "Potterfields Win Prestigious C.J. McElroy Award at SCI Show".
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.