Keller to head Vista's Shooting Sports division

Vista Outdoor Inc., the Clearfield-based designer, manufacturer and marketer of outdoor sports and recreation products, has named Robert J. Keller as president of its Shooting Sports segment. He will replace David White, who has announced his retirement from the company. Keller will report to chairman and CEO Mark DeYoung and will serve as a member of the company’s executive leadership team.

Vista Outdoor Inc., the Clearfield-based designer, manufacturer and marketer of outdoor sports and recreation products, has named Robert J. Keller as president of its Shooting Sports segment. He will replace David White, who has announced his retirement from the company. Keller will report to chairman and CEO Mark DeYoung and will serve as a member of the company’s executive leadership team.

As Shooting Sports president, Keller will have responsibility for segment-specific strategy and execution, growth and profitability. He will also have overall responsibility for the company’s quality, safety and environmental stewardship.

“Bob has experience leading a publicly traded company as well as deep and broad consumer products experience with responsibilities for growth, profitability, sales and marketing,” said DeYoung. “His capabilities will enable us to take Vista Outdoor’s Shooting Sports performance to the next level as we focus on continued growth, market leadership, product innovation and execution excellence. Bob’s skills also complement the strengths within our senior leadership team, which will help us execute the long-term business strategy for Vista Outdoor. I look forward to working with Bob in this capacity.”

Keller was most recently the president and CEO of Escalade Inc., a publicly traded sporting goods and outdoor recreation products company based in Evansville, Indiana. Prior to Escalade, Keller’s consumer products experience includes a series of strategic marketing and manufacturing leadership roles, including president of Disston Tool Co., division president of Russell Corp., managing director of Coca-Cola and vice president of sales and marketing for The Clorox Co.’s Armor All Home Care Division. He served as a board member of Deaconess Health Systems and is the past chairman of the University of Southern Indiana Romain College of Business board of advisors. He received his bachelor’s degree in industrial and systems engineering from the Georgia Institute of Technology and completed the Senior Executive Finance Program at Harvard Business School.