It takes a team. That’s a simple statement, but those four words are a doorway into a philosophy, a way of understanding that each member of a team is an important part of a body, an organization. Those body parts need to be strong. They need to be marching together toward a common goal.
Since being elected by the NRA Board of Directors to lead this critical civil-rights association, I have set out to elevate and hire a team of exemplary individuals who will cohesively fight for you. As I am an elected official, I am not referring to other elected NRA officials here, but to NRA employees hired to serve you by protecting and promoting your freedom.
Any business leader with even a little experience can tell you how critical and difficult choosing and then recruiting a winning team is. In this organization, thankfully, the right candidates were mostly there waiting, ready beneath the legal storms and more to step up and get the NRA back on track.
Still, over the last six years, the number of NRA employees has been reduced significantly. This has left many divisions severely understaffed. Some of this has been due to the forced shutdowns from the government’s response to the pandemic, some has been the result of expensive legal defense from lawfare aimed at destroying this association, and some was from mismanagement and missteps made by prior leadership.
This has made getting the right team in place even more critical, as we’ll next need to wisely re-invest and grow our divisions where necessary. To make this work, we need the support of the millions of gun owners we reach with our competitions, Friends of NRA events, through our shows, our certified instructors and more. This has already begun, as our new team is moving forward.
So, please allow me to mention just a few of those stepping up to make the NRA community into the formidable force for freedom you deserve.
I’ll begin with John Commerford, now the executive director of the NRA Institute for Legislative Action. As NRA-ILA’s Chief of Operations since 2019, he led the day-to-day management of NRA-ILA. Previously, he helped oversee NRA-ILA’s State and Local Affairs Division and took charge of the political strategy for some of NRA’s most critical electoral races. He is a smart, dedicated servant of our freedom.
So is Josh Savani, now the executive director of NRA General Operations. Savani began his career with the NRA in 2010. As director of NRA-ILA’s Research and Information Division, he was responsible for developing and overseeing NRA’s legislative and legal policy. In that capacity, he managed a talented and diverse group of policy experts. We are lucky to have him.
This is also true of James P. Carter, now executive director of the Office of Advancement. After a decorated career as an officer in the U.S. Marine Corps, he began his journey with the NRA in sales with NRA Media. He left to pursue an MBA at UNC-Chapel Hill, then transitioned into another industry. Yet he leapt at the opportunity to come back and help rebuild the NRA.
Meanwhile, Derek Robinson has been doing all he can with the NRA Membership Division. Under his leadership, his division has been striving to foster a stronger connection between the members and their association, as this critical connection translates into growth of the NRA and a strong defense of our Second Amendment freedoms.
Next, I need to mention Cole McCulloch, also a USMC veteran, who is the director of the NRA’s Competitive Shooting Division. He saw his division gutted as the pandemic shut down competitions across the nation, yet his dedication and creativity are instrumental to our effort to rebuild. We don’t promote all the NRA does and has done with competitions enough, but you’ll be hearing big things from this important part of this association.
On this NRA team, we also have Glen Hoyer, director of the NRA Law Enforcement Division, who has continued to “back the blue” as the NRA supports law-enforcement ranges, training and more. We need more members of law enforcement to know about how the NRA supports them.
We also have Mike Sanford as deputy executive director of NRA Media. Mike is a 30-year staffer at the NRA. He is a fundamental part of why the NRA is financially moving in a positive direction and giving the members incredible multimedia properties and so much more.
I have challenged Mark Keefe, editorial director of NRA Media, with communicating all the NRA is doing for gun owners and our freedom. You probably know him as the host of American Rifleman TV and the longtime editor in chief of our flagship publication American Rifleman. I have too much to say about all he is doing to fit in this column.
I’ve highlighted only a few of the many important members of your team to let you know your association is in the right hands. We are now in a period of resurgence and growth. 2025 is on track to show gains across all divisions. You’ll see this on display in Atlanta at the 154th NRA Annual Meeting & Exhibits from April 24-27. You’ll also see it at our many competitions, Friends of NRA dinners and more. We are strongest when we are marching together, and I can’t wait to see all of you later this year.
