May 18, 2026

Industry Leaders and Sponsors Gathered at NSSF 2026 Marketing & Leadership Summit to Explore AI, Leadership and Future Business Growth

WASHINGTON, D.C. — NSSF^®, The Firearm Industry Trade Association, proudly wrapped last week’s 2026 Marketing & Leadership Summit in Hilton Head, S.C., with strong engagement from firearm industry executives, marketers and business leaders.

The two-day Summit brought together industry professionals for timely education, peer discussion and networking focused on the challenges and opportunities shaping today’s marketplace. Sessions addressed workplace culture, consumer trends, economic uncertainty, Meta advertising, artificial intelligence, e-commerce, customer engagement and the future of leadership in an evolving business environment.

“The Marketing & Leadership Summit continues to be a place where current and future leaders of our industry sharpen their skills, expand their networks and gain new perspectives,” said Joe Bartozzi, NSSF President and CEO. “The conversations taking place here are helping businesses better prepare for the challenges and opportunities ahead while continuing to strengthen the firearm industry as a whole.”

Attendees and sponsors emphasized the Summit’s unique value as an intimate, focused setting where companies can exchange ideas, identify solutions and build stronger relationships across the firearm industry.

“It’s rare that you get a collection of business leaders in the same room who are focused on the same thing,” said Connor Dunaway, 20North Marketing CEO. “What’s happening in marketing? How do I be successful? How do I lead my organization? What changes are impacting me? And how can I be a thought leader and driver through this?”

“This is probably one of my favorite events of the year,” said Kyle Van Winkle, Head of 2A Enterprise at Listrak. “Folks are thinking about how they’re interacting with their customers, how they’re engaging, how they’re starting to build these relationships from the ground up.”

“We’ve been around for less than a year, and some of the people I’ve met and made relationships with said, ‘You’ve got to be over in Hilton Head for this conference.’ It’s been huge. We’ll not only be back next year, but we’ll also be at SHOT Show^® in a big way,” said Walt Geer, Slingit CEO and Founder.

NSSF Thanks the 2026 Summit Sponsors

Platinum Sponsor | 20North Marketing

Silver Sponsor | Shopware

Bronze Sponsors | BigCommerce, Joseph Chiarello & Co., Listrak and Payroc

Supporting Sponsors | Centerfire Spirits, Crimson Agility, FastBound, Hillsdale College, Hook & Barrel, illumin, iovista, Longview, Magpul, Master FFL, Netformic, Project ChildSafe, Rumble, Slingit, Southwick Associates and Vault

“We’re incredibly grateful to the sponsors who helped make this year’s Marketing & Leadership Summit possible,” said Melissa Schilling, NSSF Vice President, Exhibitions & Events. “Their support and participation helped create an environment where attendees could exchange ideas, build relationships and have meaningful conversations about the future of the industry.”

If you missed this year’s Summit, NSSF encourages members and industry professionals to explore its growing calendar of events and resources. From the SHOT Show and Summit to the Import/Export Conference and year-round webinars covering cybersecurity, compliance, marketing, leadership and more, NSSF offers numerous opportunities to engage, learn and lead.

Save the date for the 2027 NSSF Marketing and Leadership Summit, taking place May 11–13, 2027, at the Ponte Vedra Inn & Club in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla.

To stay informed about future events or to become an NSSF member, visit nssf.org.

About NSSF

NSSF is the trade association for the firearm industry. Its mission is to promote, protect and preserve hunting and the shooting sports. Formed in 1961, NSSF has a membership of thousands of manufacturers, distributors, firearm retailers, shooting ranges, sportsmen’s organizations and publishers nationwide. For more information, visit nssf.org.

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