Les de Asis Is Benchmade President Again; Greg Mooney to Benelli

Benchmade Knife Co. announced today that its founder and CEO, Les de Asis, will assume the duties of company president effective immediately.

The move is a result of the pending departure of Greg Mooney, who had been Benchmade’s president since January 2007. Mr. Mooney has taken the job of vice president and general manager of Benelli USA, which is based in Accokeek, Maryland.

“Since joining Benchmade in 1997, Greg has played a significant role in numerous parts of our company, from sales and marketing to operations and manufacturing management. He was responsible for hiring and developing an experienced management team that has led growth throughout our organization. We’re sad to see Greg go, but wish him success in his new role at Benelli,” said de Asis, who started Benchmade in Oregon in 1990. “We have achieved some impressive results for all of our brands over the past several years, which has been very satisfying given the challenges posed by a tough economy. While I will again be president of Benchmade, I will continue to be supported by a very strong management team that has been in place for several years. I only expect our company and brands to continue on their impressive growth path.”

In addition to the Benchmade branded product line, the company also designs, manufactures and markets Lone Wolf Knives, Harley-Davidson Knives and HK Knives. All Benchmade branded products are made in the USA.

In order to keep pace with the recent growth that Benchmade has experienced in both domestic and international markets, the company recently added over 30,000 square feet of manufacturing and office space at its headquarters outside Portland, Oregon. According to the Benchmade news release, the workforce at the factory and headquarters has also increased over 35 percent in the past three years. Significant staff and management have been added to engineering, finance and sales.

“The portfolio of brands that we’ve assembled is very strong and has helped our dealer partners succeed in a difficult retail environment. I have the utmost confidence in our management team and look forward to supporting their efforts to drive future growth and expansion,” commented de Asis.