Crimson Trace Founder Lew Danielson to Retire

The founder of Crimson Trace, Lew Danielson, has officially announced his retirement. Danielson—winner of our 2015 NRA Golden Bullseye Pioneer Award—co-founded Crimson Trace in the backroom of an Oregon machine shop in 1994. It eventually grew into one of the industry's more renowned companies, and recently sold to Smith & Wesson for $95 million.

"I am very proud of what Crimson Trace has become and what we have accomplished in the laser sighting industry with the many innovations we've introduced to the market place," said Danielson. "I'm also proud of the team of employees who have worked hard to make our company the industry leader that it is today."

Danielson was also famous for his simple 18-point business plan—handwritten on a piece of standard yellow notepad paper and seen in the photo above—which helped him take Crimson Trace from a fledgling company to an industry titan.

"Lew is a one-of-a-kind guy who believed in an idea and had the tenacity and foresight to take risks and follow his dream," stated Lane Tobiassen, President of Crimson Trace. "Everyone at Crimson Trace wishes Lew well in this new chapter of his life, and we thank him for the opportunity the company has provided the more than 120 employees who work here." Tobiassen became Crimson Trace's President in 2009.

Since its founding, Crimson Trace has been recognized for bringing more than 250 laser sighting products to the market.

Danielson was inducted into the Oregon State University Engineering Hall of Fame in 2013. His name is on many of the patents held in Crimson Trace's product portfolio.

For more information, go to CrimsonTrace.com.