NRA Names New President, Reelects EVP & CEO Hamlin

Bill Bachenberg Elected NRA President, Doug Hamlin Unanimously Reelected as NRA Executive Vice President & CEO.

by
posted on April 30, 2025
** When you buy products through the links on our site, we may earn a commission that supports NRA's mission to protect, preserve and defend the Second Amendment. **
NRAAM 2025

On Monday 4/28, the Board of Directors of the National Rifle Association of America (NRA), elected Bill Bachenberg of Pennsylvania as President of the NRA and Doug Hamlin as NRA Executive Vice President & CEO. The meeting of the Board of Directors followed the 154th NRA Annual Meetings & Exhibits where over 70,000 NRA members, their families, and supporters of the Second Amendment gathered at the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta, Georgia to check out the latest guns, gear, and accessories from over 600 exhibitors.

“I am deeply honored to be entrusted by my colleagues on the Board to serve as President of the NRA,” said Bill Bachenberg, NRA President. “We are at a pivotal point in our Association’s history as we work to reach out to new members, build upon the trust of existing members, and provide the gold-standard programs that American gun owners expect. As the Nation’s oldest civil rights organization, the NRA plays a critical role in protecting and advancing freedom in America.”

The NRA Board of Directors also elected Mark Vaughan of Oklahoma as NRA First Vice President and Rocky Marshall of Texas as NRA Second Vice President.

“As we conclude a very successful NRA Annual Meeting in Atlanta, I know one thing for sure: NRA’s best days are ahead of us,” said Doug Hamlin, NRA Executive Vice President & CEO. “This Association is moving forward, full speed ahead, to support the shooting sports, train new gun owners, and defend the sacred right to self-defense. I thank the dedicated staff of the NRA who work day and night on behalf of NRA’s millions of members and America’s more than 100 million firearms owners.”

Following Mr. Hamlin’s reelection, he reappointed John Commerford as the Executive Director of the NRA Institute for Legislative Action (NRA-ILA) and Josh Savani as the Executive Director of NRA General Operations.

The Board of Directors also reelected Sonya B. Rowling as NRA Treasurer, Robert Mensinger as NRA Chief Compliance Officer, and John C. Frazer as NRA Secretary.

The 2026 NRA Annual Meetings & Exhibits will take place in Houston, Texas, from April 17-19, 2026.

Latest

Goose And Gun 2
Goose And Gun 2

Choosing the Proper Goose Load

When gunning for geese, use these tips to select the optimal load.

First Look: Derya Arms EX1300 O/U Shotgun

Derya Arms has introduced the EX1300, a break-action over/under shotgun offered in 12-gauge, 20-gauge and .410 bore.

#SundayGunday: Spandau Arms RL

This week on #SundayGunday, were discussing a new classic hunting rifle, the RL Bolt-Action from Spandau. Chambered in the classic and dependable .308 Winchester, the first thing you’ll notice is that this rig looks a lot like a wood stocked Remington 700, and that’s because that’s basically what it is. Learn more about it in this exclusive video.

Hunting Small Game: An Overview

Curious how to get started in small game hunting? Red on as Tim Hovey reflects on how small-game hunting shaped his development as a hunter, taught him patience, stalking, shooting and fieldcraft. He describes hunting rabbits, squirrels, hares, and marmots in Idaho, highlighting the challenges unique to both rimfire and shotgun. He also recounts introducing his daughters to hunting, and encourages experienced hunters to revisit their small-game roots.

Whitetail Knowledge: Why So Many Late Fawns?

Here is the information I gleaned from an interview I conducted with a whitetail biologist to answer my whitetail question of the year. That question is: Why are we seeing so many new fawns in August and September?

Delisting of Wolves Addressed by President Trump

On Sept. 4 President Donald J. Trump issued “Supporting America’s Ranchers,” an executive order that addresses a variety of concerns in the domestic meat supply. Section 3, “Helping Ranchers Combat Predation” includes at least one directive of interest to hunters. It addresses the decades-old controversy over wolves and the Endangered Species Act status that too often hamstrings management.

Interests



Get the best of American Hunter delivered to your inbox.