ProSteel Security Products Announces Promotions and Management Transition

ProSteel Security Products, Inc., a leading manufacturer of premium safes and security products for hunting enthusiasts and other applications, announced today two forthcoming management appointments. Kim Waddoups, currently the Company’s Chief Financial Officer, will become Chief Executive Officer; and Rick Stepp, currently the Vice President – Operations, will become Chief Operating Officer. Both appointments will be effective as of January 17, 2022. Clay Linford, ProSteel’s long-tenured CEO, will remain a member of the Board of Directors following his retirement on May 25, 2022.

Prior to joining ProSteel in 2020, Mr. Waddoups previously held the positions of CFO, CEO and Board Member of Liberty Safe & Security Products. He has been recognized as a leader in the gun safe industry over the past 17 years. Mr. Stepp joined ProSteel in November 2000 and has been instrumental in the many acclaimed engineering and product development advances that the Company has made and that have established ProSteel, in collaboration with its exclusive partner, Browning, the leader in gun safe innovation.

“We are incredibly thankful for Clay Linford’s leadership over the past 18 years as he has tirelessly done the big and small things needed to advance the quality and presence of Browning ProSteel safes across several channels. Equally, we are excited to welcome Kim as our next CEO and Rick as COO. During this time of ever-shifting sands in the hunting safety industry, we are fortunate there is no better team to lead ProSteel during its next chapter of growth and development than Kim and Rick,” commented Dan Kipp, ProSteel’s lead Board Member and Managing Partner of City Capital Ventures, a Chicago-based investment firm.

Kipp commented further, “Kim is a proven industry leader with clear business vision, customer- centric focus, and deep industry knowledge. Rick has demonstrated world-class engineering & design know-how in his 21 years at ProSteel, having advanced external and interior leading-edge designs in gun safes. Their vision for how gun and personal safety will be innovated and experienced by customers around the world is exactly what ProSteel needs as we enters our next chapter.”

Waddoups takes the helm as ProSteel continues to expand its global presence by providing solutions to its customers. “For almost 40 years, the Browning ProSteel name has been synonymous with best-in-class gun safes,” remarked Mr. Waddoups. “I am excited to lead the Company into its next phase of growth and innovation while building upon its core values and reputation for leadership in the security arena.”

Former CEO Clay Linford will transition into the role of board member and commented, “After working with Kim for the past 18 months and Rick for the past 18 years, there is no doubt in my mind they are an ideal duo to lead ProSteel into the future. This will drive the company forward and allow me to spend more time with family while continuing to share my industry experience with the new management team through my board role.”

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