Industry Leader Bob Delfay and Shotgun Enthusiast Butch Eller to Join USA Shooting Board of Directors
OutdoorHub 11.02.12
USA Shooting is adding longtime industry leader Bob Delfay (Aiken, S.C.) and shotgun enthusiast Butch Eller (Katy, Texas) to the organization’s Board of Directors.
Delfay and Eller are among the at-large Board additions that will begin their terms with the organization’s Spring 2013 Board meeting. Delfay and Eller join five-time Olympian and three-time Olympic medalist Lones Wigger (Colorado Springs, Colo.) whose return to the BOD was announced last week.
Delfay and Eller replace out-going at-large Board members Allen Harry (Littleton, Colo.) and John Groendyke (Enid, Okla.).
Delfay has spent more than 40 years in the hunting and shooting sports industry and related conservation fields including 33 years at the National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF) before retiring in 2002 to pursue private interests in the fields of hunting and shooting sports. As Chief Executive of the NSSF, Delfay led the organization through a period of highly significant growth despite tremendous challenges including a barrage of politically-motivated lawsuits against the industry.
During his career at NSSF, Bob was recipient of the 1999 Shooting Industry Leadership Award, was named NSSF “Man of the Year” in 2002 and has won major national awards from the Outdoor Writers Association of America, the Christian’s Sportsmen’s Fellowship and other groups.
Since his departure from the NSSF, he has served as President of the Hunting Heritage Trust and as an advisor to the Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation and GunBroker.com.
“It is difficult to overstate the respect I have for our USA Shooting Team athletes, staff and Board of Directors,” said Delfay. “I look forward to working with these dedicated folks in helping to further build upon our team’s impressive international performances and reputation.”
Eller previously served on the USA Shooting Board of Directors as the Treasurer from 2003-10, and currently holds that position at the USA Shooting Foundation. Eller has been an active supporter of the organization and has followed its activities since the 1996 Olympic Games. His son, Glenn, is a four-time Olympian and the 2008 Olympic gold medalist in the Double Trap event. A Baylor University graduate, Eller spent 38 years as a CPA with Arthur Andersen and Ernst & Young.
“I am looking forward to rejoining the board and participating in the continued growth of USA Shooting,” said Eller.
Harry steps down from his role as Vice President on the USA Shooting BOD after two consecutive four-year terms. Harry earned his stripes in the U.S. Air Force before enjoying an illustrious 36-year-career in military communications including work on the Apollo program and other space systems.
Groendyke served one term with USA Shooting. Outside of his role with the organization, he currently serves as Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer of Groendyke Transport, Inc., the fifth largest motor carrier of bulk commodities serving the continental United States, Canada and Mexico.
“We’re excited to have both Bob and Butch join our Board of Directors,” said USA Shooting President Gary Anderson. “Both are exceptionally well qualified. Bob’s successful experience and expertise in association management and his influence and knowledge within the industry will be vitally important to our growth as an organization. We’re especially pleased to have Butch rejoin our Board after he had to drop out for two years because of our term limit rules. He brings great wisdom gained from a successful business career and his knowledge and passion for the shooting sports back to our organization. We also want to thank Allen Harry and John Groendyke for their outstanding service as Board members; we will miss the contributions they made to USA Shooting’s many endeavors.”
