Freedom Group Names Jonathan K. Sprole General Counsel
OutdoorHub 08.09.12
Freedom Group, Inc. (FGI), the firearms industry leader with brands including Remington Arms, Bushmaster, DPMS and Marlin, has named Jonathan K. Sprole as its General Counsel. Sprole, an avid upland bird hunter and clays shooter, comes to FGI from Versa Capital Management, LLC, a private equity firm with more than $1billion of assets under management, where he was General Counsel and Chief Administrative Officer. He will oversee FGI legal strategies and initiatives as well as manage Litigation, Compliance, Regulatory Affairs, SEC, Government Affairs, contracts and other legal matters.
Previously Sprole was Vice President and Deputy General Counsel for Bristol-Myers Squibb (BMS). He also served as the BMS Chief Compliance Officer and sat on the Management Executive Committee. Prior to BMS, Sprole held numerous legal positions at GE Capital Corporation (GE) including General Counsel and Managing Director of GE Equity and Corporate Finance.
“This is a tremendous hire for the Freedom Group Family of Companies,” said George Kollitides, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of FGI. “I spent nearly a decade of my professional life working with Jon and have known him for more than 20 years – I know his leadership, intellect and determination first hand. His ability to provide key counsel and strategic advice across a wide range of brands and issues is unparalleled by anyone in the field. Moreover, his expertise in areas of compliance and quality control are particularly strong. Jon is exactly the kind of leader we want as we advance in the global marketplace.”
“Jon’s legal and business acumen combined with his passion for the outdoors and enthusiasm for firearms make him an outstanding match for Freedom Group,” said Walter McLallen, Vice Chairman of Freedom Group. “Jon will be a great asset to our team, providing strong and critical leadership to our Legal, Compliance, Quality Control and Technology departments. We’re very excited to have him on board.”
Among Jon’s direct reports include recent FGI hires Catherine Wall, Associate General Counsel who joined FGI from Smith & Wesson, Corp., and Emile Buzaid, a practicing attorney from Connecticut, graduate of the United States Military Academy at West Point and combat veteran who was awarded the Bronze Star.
“As a longtime wing and clays shooter who understands the deep roots of our nearly 200 year old Company history, I am excited for this great opportunity,” said Sprole. “The senior leadership of Freedom Group is dedicated to providing every aspect of the organization with the tools it needs to achieve excellence. That’s the mentality here and the mind-set of our team; more than 3,000 hard working Americans determined to be the first and the best in the field. I look forward to bringing my skill set to the table and contributing to this great American legacy.”
Sprole has a Bachelor of Arts in Classics from Stanford University and a Juris Doctorate from the University of Virginia.
