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Our Team

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Don Hanson

Chairman of the Board-Consultant 

About

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Don has been a professional outdoor sporting goods salesman for over 50 years, 21 of those with the James A. Giesecke Company in Dallas, Texas. In gracious appreciation for his dedication and achievements, Mr. Giesecke divested the MINK state territory to Don, where it all started.

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He is a true pioneer and leader in the industry and is highly regarded by those who know him.

Don has been married for over 50 years to his wife, Joan. Don and Joan have two children, Chris and Orissa. They also have 7 grandchildren and 2 great grandchildren. He spends his free time farming and spending time with his family. 

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Tony Owens

President-CEO

Key Accounts Manager / Territory Development

About

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Tony established his roots in wholesale, now with 35 plus years of sporting goods sales experience. Tony has working relationships throughout the 10 state area and works key accounts.  He works at every level from key accounts like Bass Pro and Midway USA to small chain accounts and dealers.

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When not traveling, Tony enjoys hunting, fly-fishing, shooting sports and spending valuable time with his family.  Tony has been married for over 40 years to his wife Brenda, and has 2 children – Beth and Caleb along with  two grandsons and a granddaughter.

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Memberships

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NRA Benefactor Member.

National Association of Sporting Goods Wholesalers.

Archery Trade Association

American Sport Fishing Association

Safari Club International

NWTF Member

Member at The Crosroads Church in Macon MO.

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Adam Henderson

Adam Henderson

Vice President

Territory: Kansas, Missouri 

Key Accounts: Bass Pro and Cabelas, Optics Planet, The Sportsman's Guide, Bill Hicks and Co.

About

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Adam joined Proactive Sales in November of 2007.  Prior to working for Proactive Sales, he owned and operated All Star Limousines LLC in Oklahoma City, OK.  He graduated from Southwestern Oklahoma State University with a Bachelors degree in Business Management.

 

He covers Kansas and Missouri as well as key accounts in the Midwest. Adam has also won several awards and been recognized multiple times with our factories in his short tenure. He also has developed working relationships with many distributors and retailers in the Midwest.

 

Adam is an avid outdoorsman, as well as golfer.  He is married to his wife Michelle and they have two children- Palmer and Pearl.

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Jeff Gittings

Vice President

Territory: Missouri, Southern Iowa

Key Accounts: Bass Pro  and Cabela’s, Mid-States, Brownell’s, Crow Shooting Supply

About

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Jeff started working for Proactive Sales in 2008.  He is a graduate of William Woods University with a Bachelors in Business Management.  From 1996 - 2008, Jeff spearheaded compliance and training for a 1300 employee agricultural operation in North Central Missouri.

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Jeff covers Iowa, Nebraska, Illinois and North Missouri working with key accounts as well.  Jeff worked side by side with our agency for several years as a national pro-staffer before coming on board full time. 

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Jeff has a passion for the outdoors and enjoys spending time sharing it with family and friends. Jeff is married to his bride Sonja and they have 6 children, Cameron, Callie, Shae, Bodie, Natalie and Gabriel. 

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Brad Swiontek 

Sales Representative  

Territory: Wisconsin, Michigan and Greater Chicago area  

Key Accounts: Scheels, Mills Fleet Farm, Blains Farm and Fleet

About

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Brad joins the Proactive sales team with over 23 years industry experience. Prior to joining Proactive Sales, Brad has worked with two other sales agencies and covered the same territory throughout his career. He has a great understanding of the territory and created long lasting relationships with his accounts. 

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Brad graduated from Edgewood College in Madison, WI with a degree in marketing and management. 

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Brad lives in Neenah WI with his wife, Julie. Together they have 3 wonderful children, Morgan, Lauren, and Alex. Brad enjoys spending time with his family, hunting, fishing and shooting sports (avid archer and target shooter).  

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Mike Verzino

Sales Representative 

Territory: Illinois, Eastern Missouri 

Key Accounts:  Zanders, Sportsman's Supply, CAT5 Commerce, LE Accounts

About

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Mike comes to Proactive Sales as a seasoned veteran and has been a friend to many among the agency for a number of years. Mike covers his home state of Illinois and Eastern Missouri.

 

Mike graduated from the University of Pennsylvania with a bachelors degree in Economics.

 

He has over 25 years of Sporting goods experience from top to bottom. Mike has worked with accounts in a 5 state region and has attended every trade show we attend.

 

Mike is an accomplished local ping pong champion.  Mike is married to Tammie, an RN, in Quincy, with puppies Adah and Leah. 

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Colin Thorton

Sales Representative 

Territory: Eastern Missouri, Illinois, Iowa

Key Accounts: Zanders,  Dunn’s Sporting Goods, Theisens and Bomgaars

About

 

Colin joins Proactive Sales with over ten years of experience in the outdoor industry. Prior to joining Proactive Sales, Colin worked for a very successful sporting goods retail chain out of St. Louis, Missouri. 

 

Colin graduated from Missouri Baptist University in 2012 with a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration.  Colin has always prided himself on exemplary customer service skills and his ability to build strong and long lasting relationships.

 

Colin lives in Desoto, Mo with his wife, Heather. Together they have three wonderful children; Brody, Holly, and Tucker. Colin enjoys spending time with his family, hunting, fishing, and being outdoors. 

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Dustin Dunn

Dustin Dunn

Sales Representative 

Territory:  Kansas, Nebraska and Western Missouri   

Key Accounts: Bill Hicks & Co., Runnings, Rogers Sporting Goods and Sportsman's Guide 

About

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Dustin developed a passion for the sporting goods industry at a young age by working at his family’s retail stores throughout the Midwest. He joined Proactive Sales in August of 2015 covering the dealer base in Eastern Missouri and Illinois. In 2016, Dustin transitioned into a new territory in Minnesota, North Dakota, and South Dakota. In 2022 Dustin began covering the accounts in Western Missouri, Kansas and Nebraska while maintaining key account responsibilities at Runnings Supply, Sportsman’s Guide, and Bill Hicks and Co. While at Proactive Sales, Dustin has been recognized with several individual sales awards from our factories.

 

Dustin graduated from University of Missouri with a Bachelors degree in Parks and Recreation.

 

Dustin lives in Pevely, MO  with his wife Kayla. Together they have three children, Madison, Cooper and Genevieve.  When not traveling, Dustin enjoys hunting, fishing and spending time with his family. 

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Nate Axtman

Sales Representative 

Territory: North Dakota, South Dakota and Minnesota

Key Accounts: CSI, L&M Supply, Scheel's, Runnings and Cannon Tackle Supply

 

About

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Nate is joining the Proactive Sales team with over 15 years of industry experience. Nate has previously covered the Dakota and Minnesota territory for a different sales agency in the past and has worked with multiple key accounts  in the Midwest.  Nate it the ground running in 2022 and is growing his territory each year.   

 

Nate was born and raised in North Dakota and lives in Mandan ND. Nate enjoys hunting bears and mule deer, but also enjoys hiking and camping. He also spends much of his free time shooting and tuning his bows.  

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Orissa Metzger

Office Manager

About

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Orissa has been our office manager for over 12 years.  She attended DeVry Institute of Technology and brings to our office more than 20 years of customer service experience. She routinely attends trade and consumer shows. Her rapport with factory personnel and ‘hands on’

knowledge communicating with consumers is invaluable. Orissa works closely with our sales team to insure all factory deadlines are met in a timely manner.   

 

In Orissa's spare time she enjoys traveling to new places and outdoor adventures such as hiking and kayaking.  She also raises Golden Retriever puppies and does therapy dog work on a volunteer basis. Orissa's favorite thing to do, however, is spending quality time time with family and friends.  

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Lori Hinman

Assistant Office Manger 

About

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Lori graduated from Cedarville University with a bachelors degree in Accountancy and has over 25 years of experience in the accounting field. She joined Proactive Sales in July, 2007 after taking time off for homeschooling her three children.

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In Lori’s spare time, she enjoys watching sports, volunteering at church activities and spending time with her husband, Lee, their three grown children, Ariel, Stacy and Matthew.

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Joan Hanson

Joan Hanson

Board Member-Bookkeeper 

About

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Joan has over 5o years experiences in the industry and has been with Proactive Sales since the beginning. She has extensive experience in administrative duties and is an fantastic record keeper. 

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Joan is the backbone of the company and has dedicated years of service to the sales team

 

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Suvana Badgett

Suvana Badgett

Web Designer

About

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Suvana graduated with a Bachelors of Science in Entrepreneurship from Kansas State University. In her free time, she freelances digital media projects, like websites, social media design, and media scheduling. She enjoys teaching small businesses how to use new technology to their advantage. She works full-time at Cerner as a consultant.

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She is the granddaughter of founder, Don Hanson, and daughter of Orissa Metzger, office manager. She has always loved learning about Proactive Sales and wanted to lend a hand to the company in some way. She is well-versed in the company and knows the right marketing skills neccessary to take them to the next level. 

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Outside of the business world, Suvana enjoys time with her puppy, Pippa, discovering new places, and being artistic. 

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Contact information available upon request

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Jim Schroer

ProStaffer Organizer 

About

 

Jim has worked in the sporting goods industry for over 50 years. He has worked anywhere from a retail associate to even owning his own retail store for 17 yrs. He was also the national sales manager for an outdoor product manufacturing company for many years. Jim’s experience in the Outdoor industry has given him a lot of insight into how to present and promote product.

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Jim attended Pittsburg College before being drafted into the U.S. Army. He spent 13 months in Vietnam as a senior radio operator with the Fourth Infantry Division. Jim also spent 15 years working for the Westwood Kansas Police Department.

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Jim is married with two sons, and two grandsons. He takes every opportunity he can to take his two grandsons fishing with him. Smallmouth Bass and Crappie are his favorite two species to fish for. He is also an avid shooter, spending time shooting at local ranges whenever he can. One of Jim’s main passions, other than spending time with his family, is hunting prairie dogs in South Dakota and predator hunting the Midwest.

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Don "Zip" Zimmerman

ProStaffer

About

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Don brings more than 37 years of experience in the Sporting Goods Industry, 16 of those with Omni Sports in St. Louis. Omni Sports was a 5 store sporting goods retailer in the St. Louis area. He was the the lead buyer for all categories including hunting, fishing, and footwear, at all locations.

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He has also worked as a distributor representative and has spent the past 13 years. with Proactive Sales. He studied business at Meremac College in St. Louis and then spent 3 years in the United States Army working for NATO in Izmir, Turkey.

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Don has been married to his wife, Sharon, for over 15 years. Together they have one daughter and two sons. He is an avid outdoorsman and truly enjoys spending time on his farm.

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