Industry & Services >> CEO Interviews >> November 14, 2011
P. James Debney joined Smith & Wesson in November 2009 as President of the company's firearms division. In September 2011, he was promoted to President, CEO and board Member for parent company Smith & Wesson Holding Corporation. He has amassed over 16 years of management experience and a track record of developing and executing sales and marketing strategies that sustainably grow the top line while working throughout an organization to implement efficiencies that deliver profitability. He is also seasoned in multifactory, multinational organizations that address both consumer and business-to-business environments. Mr. Debney served as President of Presto Products Company, a $500 million plastic products business unit formerly of Alcoa Consumer Products. During his tenure he created and executed long- and short-term sales and marketing and operations strategies that delivered increases in both revenue and profitability. Mr. Debney oversaw all aspects of the growing business, which is composed of four business units with five manufacturing facilities in the United States and partnerships in Asia. Prior to Presto Products, he held a series of increasingly responsible operations management and business leadership roles with Baco Consumer Products, a United Kingdom business formerly of Alcoa Consumer Products. Mr. Debney holds a B.Sc. in chemistry with honors from the University of Manchester Institute of Science and Technology and a certificate of business administration from Keele University, both in the United Kingdom. Profile
TWST: Please give us a brief history of Smith & Wesson and an overview of your operations and business focus today.
Mr. Debney: We are one of the oldest companies in the country - 159 years old
