Fiocchi, the world leader in defensive, target shooting and hunting ammunition, is proud to announce the appointment of shooting industry veteran David Blenker to the role of president and chief executive officer of its North American operations. With decades of experience in the shooting industry, Blenker is ready to take the reins and lead Fiocchi into a new era of growth and success.

Blenker brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to the role, having served on the Board of Governors of the National Shooting Sports Foundation, the Sporting Arms and Mmunition Manufacturers’ Institute, and the South Florida Council of Boy Scouts of America. He is also an avid hunter and competitive shooter, and is passionate about grassroots growth in shooting sports, an effort that aligns perfectly with Fiocchi’s commitment to the Scholastic Clay Target Program.

In his new role as President and CEO of Fiocchi USA, Blenker will be responsible for several major initiatives for the company, including the expansion of Fiocchi of America, such as the new primer manufacturing facility in Arkansas, and further Fiocchi’s commitment to implementation of sustainable technology around the world. He will also be overseeing the launch of new product lines.

“I am truly excited to work with such a legendary brand as Fiocchi and to work alongside the dedicated employees who have helped the company make such great strides in recent years,” said Blenker. “With its growing manufacturing capabilities and growing footprint in North America, I look forward to this new chapter in Fiocchi’s nearly 150-year history. I also have to thank outgoing CEO Anthony Acitelli for his excellent stewardship of the brand and for bringing Fiocchi’s North American operations to this point.”

Former President and CEO Anthony Acitelli joined Fiocchi in 2019. During his tenure, Acitelli spearheaded the company’s successful ISO certification effort and oversaw the completion and opening of the new priming facility in Port of Little Rock, Arkansas. A succession of new product lines and various marketing initiatives led by Acitelli helped propel Fiocchi to the forefront of the consumer ammunition segment.

“I really enjoyed my time leading the Fiocchi North American team,” said Acitelli. “There is no greater reward than seeing the hard work of so many people come to fruition and lay the foundation for a company’s next step toward a bright tomorrow. I am looking forward to retiring and am pleased to leave the company in good hands as David brings the kind of experience, integrity and long-term vision that will serve Fiocchi well into the future.”

David Stepan, Chief Investment Officer and Board Member of CSG Group (Czechoslovak Group) commented: “Smooth leadership transition is always the goal of any company, and with veteran executives like Anthony and David, this task is made easy.

“All of us at Fiocchi and CSG Group want to first thank Anthony for his remarkable achievement in elevating the Fiocchi brand to its hard-earned and respected position in the US market over the past four years. His guidance has paved the way for David as he begins to move the company forward with major projects underway, such as the construction of our new priming plant, increased factory production, the focus of our integration efforts. vertical and increasing our presence in the market. We are confident that his professionalism and extensive knowledge of the shooting and firearms industries will lead us to achieve our ambitious goals.”

For more information on Fiocchi ammunition, visit FiocchiUSA.com.

About Fiocchi:

Since 1983, Fiocchi of America has been headquartered in Ozark, Missouri. As the independent US-based arm of Fiocchi’s large global brands, Fiocchi of America and Baschieri & Pellagri USA continue to integrate and launch new products targeting the US market. In 2020, Fiocchi continues its expansion of products in the hunting, concealed carry, personal defense and law enforcement market channels. Fiocchi offers a complete portfolio of target and hunting cartridges, centerfire rifle and pistol ammunition, standard and competition grade .22LR rimfire, specialty and classic cartridges, reloading components and blanks.

About CSG:

CSG, headquartered in Prague (Czech Republic) is a diversified industrial group active in 5 strategic business segments, aerospace, defense, automotive, railways and enterprise projects, where it operates globally. CSG Group is 100% controlled and led by Michal Strnad, who has been able to transform it into the most relevant industrial group in the Czech Republic with a strong international presence. CSG employs more than 8,000 people worldwide and owns and manages a diverse portfolio of industrial and commercial companies in the civil and defense sectors. Over the years, CSG has established several strategic partnerships with top-tier European and US multinational companies, including General Dynamics, Siemens, Stadler, Raytheon, Lockheed Martin, Boeing, Airbus, NexterSystems and Rheinmetall.