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Taurus announced Thursday the retirement of current CEO David Blenker and the appointment of Bret Vorhees to the position effective immediately, according to a press release from the Bainbridge-based firearms manufacturer.

Blenker has enjoyed a long and notable career with Taurus that has encompassed nearly three decades. He served for more than 20 years as Taurus’ Chief Financial Officer and the last two years as CEO of Taurus Holdings, Inc., which encompasses Taurus USA, Rossi and Heritage Manufacturing product lines.

The capstone of Blenker’s service as CEO of Taurus was his guidance in the relocation of the company’s U.S. manufacturing and corporate headquarters from Miami, Florida, to a new state-of-the-art facility in Bainbridge in 2019. This move positions Taurus for long-term growth and the advancement of firearm technology and innovation across the company portfolio.

Blenker’s upcoming retirement will provide him more time to pursue his passion for the shooting sports and the promotion of organizations such as the Boy Scouts of America, Youth Shooting Sports Alliance, and the National Shooting Sports Foundation, of which he is a board member.

“My years of serving as the CFO and CEO of Taurus USA have been the most challenging and most fulfilling of my career,” said Blenker. “To be part of a hard-working team that has helped move the brand to a leading position in the U.S. firearms industry over the last quarter-century has been rewarding on many fronts—personally and professionally. I am excited to see what the future holds for the company, its employees, and our passionate Taurus consumers in the years to come.”

As the new CEO of Taurus USA, Vorhees will put an intense focus on building the Taurus brand through innovative product advancements.

Vorhees recently left his position as VP of Sales and Marketing at Walther Arms, where he spent the last 6 years in an executive leadership role and focused on building a premium brand through successful new product innovations, as well as leading a dynamic sales team. In addition to his passion for high-quality firearms, Vorhees has also focused his career on developing close relationships throughout the shooting sports industry.

“I am honored to come on board to lead this great company,” said Vorhees. “This is an exciting time for Taurus, as we have just celebrated our 80th year in business, we opened the new facility in Bainbridge, GA and have a pipeline full of fantastic product innovations that will contribute to making Taurus the top brand in our industry. With an increased investment in US manufacturing, Taurus will bring more innovative products to the market, at a great value. I am also very excited to relocate with my family and to enjoy all of the great benefits that Georgia has to offer.”

Salesio Nuhs, Global CEO of Taurus, expressed his excitement for the future of Taurus with Vorhees at CEO.

“We are excited to add the unique skill set and experience that Bret Vorhees brings to the company,” said Nuhs. “Bret is a customer focused leader with an extensive background bringing exciting innovation to the firearms industry. His passion for industry leading firearm development will push the Taurus, Rossi and Heritage brands to the next level.”