SPECIAL KEYNOTE PRESENTATION: 

“The Important Role FFLs Play in Protecting Themselves and Their Communities”

Thomas L. Chittum III
Assistant Director of Field Operations 
Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF)

Tom was appointed Assistant Director of Field Operations in October 2019, and is responsible for ATF’s investigative, law enforcement, and regulatory field operations nationwide. He was previously Deputy Assistant Director, Field Operations – Western Region, and oversaw the Dallas, Houston, Denver, Phoenix, Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Seattle Field Divisions. He was the Special Agent in Charge of the Washington Field Division from October 2017 to January 2019. In that position, he oversaw ATF’s law enforcement and regulatory operations in the District of Columbia, Commonwealth of Virginia, and the eastern panhandle of West Virginia.

Tom’s previous supervisory assignments include Chief, Special Operations Division; Assistant Special Agent in Charge, Seattle Field Division; Special Agent in Charge, Internal Affairs Division; Chief of Staff, Office of Professional Responsibility and Security Operations; Chief, Frontline Branch; and Resident Agent in Charge, Las Vegas Field Office.
Tom’s career in law enforcement began in his home state of West Virginia in 1997 as a special agent with the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigations Division. He joined ATF in the Miami Field Division in 1999. He transferred to the Louisville Field Division, London (Kentucky) Satellite Office in 2002, and worked there until 2008. He was a member of the Enhanced Undercover Program from 2006 to 2008. From 2005 to 2012, he regularly testified as an expert on the interstate nexus of firearms and how firearms facilitate the illegal drug trade.

Tom has a BA in Criminal Justice from Marshall University in Huntington, West Virginia; an
MS in Criminal Justice from Eastern Kentucky University in Richmond, Kentucky; and a JD
from the University of Nevada-Las Vegas. He is an attorney, licensed in Virginia, West Virginia, and Kentucky. He lives with his wife and three children in Virginia.

FFL Consultants

FFL Consultants is a specialty consultant group focusing exclusively on supporting firearms retailers, range operators, manufacturers, distributors, and importers. Our experts possess many decades of experience with ATF/OSHA regulatory compliance
and the big-box sporting goods retail sector.  Over the last 7 years FFL Consultants has grown from presenting at various firearms industry training and educational events sponsored by the National Shooting Sports Foundation, the ATF and FBI/NICS, to
providing time-sensitive support to more than 10,000 FFLs nationwide. When it comes to supporting our FFL community, no question is too trivial and no project too difficult. 
We’ve “been there done that” many times over and stand ready to help you with your everyday needs as well as your next challenge!  We stand ready to support you and your FFL business 24/7!

https://www.FFLConsultants.com

John “JB” Bocker – Co-Founder, FFL Consultants
JB is the co-founder of FFL Consultants and a leading expert in commercial security, internal operations, and firearms compliance programs for the firearms industry.  He is a well-known and respected presenter, author, educator, and supporter of FFL's
nationwide. JB also consults for the firearms trade association and is an SBA-SBDC Certified Small Business Advisor. Having managed an inventory of over 85,000 firearms and more than 80 licensees, John believes in supporting clients through trustworthy
relationships, simplicity, confidentiality, shared education and time-sensitive 24/7 support. 
Contact JB:
JB@FFLConsultants.com
PH: 720-336-0028

John “JC” Clark – Co-Founder, FFL Consultants
 
JC is co-founder of FFL Consultants and a veteran of the military, law enforcement and retail arenas.  JC has also been directly responsible for the management and oversight of nearly 500 licensees operating across the country. This has afforded him extensive
personal knowledge and experience related to the firearms industry, FFL business operations, driving profitability, and protecting organizations against risk.  JC thrives in supporting clients in the areas of state and federal compliance initiatives, business
assessments, OSHA and range operations, internal control functions and the implementation of corporate governance practices. JC also serves as a primary business, security, and compliance consultant to the firearms industry, supporting the
Members of the National Shooting Sports Foundation.

Contact JC:
JC@FFLConsultants.com
PH: 720-431-8821

James Barthel – CEO – MT2 Firing Range Services

James M. Barthel, President, and CEO of MT2 Firing Range Services

Mr. Barthel has over 25 years of management, technical, project management, and engineering experience including executive management, R&D, engineering and construction, field operations, business development, sales and marketing, finance, strategic planning and program, and project management. He has previously created new technology-based organizations, successfully leading them from a startup into growing and profitable operations. He has completed waste treatment and environmental remediation projects for DOE, DOD, EPA, commercial, and mining clients. He has established a market-leading comprehensive understanding and technical know-how in the lead/metals treatment arena and is a co-inventor of numerous such technologies.

As President and CEO of MT2, Mr. Barthel is responsible for executive management of operations, sales and marketing, finance, R&D, and legal activities of the firm. He has assembled a broad portfolio of patented and proprietary technologies available for domestic and international use. Mr. Barthel ensures all appropriate company resources are applied to meet or exceed client expectations.

Education: MBA; BS Mechanical Engineering, University of Colorado.

Jeff Hewitt is a Senior Vice President and Program Executive with Lockton Affinity.  He has over 35 years of experience in the insurance world and more than 27 years with Lockton Affinity.  He has spent the last 20 years specifically focused on providing firearm-related businesses with customized insurance solutions for FFL retailers, gunsmiths, and firearms ranges.

Jeff can be contacted at (913) 652-7572 or email JHewitt@Locktonaffinity.com

Wendy Christie is the owner of EmployerESource.com, a human-resources risk-management consulting company based in Montana. She has more than 20 years of value-driven experience working on the front line of employee relations, federal and state regulations, and requirements and managing difficult employee situations.  As a human-
resources consultant Wendy has helped countless companies across several industries develop legally compliant employee handbooks and documentation. A well-regarded author and speaker on the topic, Wendy’s firearms industry focus includes hiring practices, onboarding, and training development, supporting business owners through employee-relations challenges, and custom policy development for companies of all
sizes.  EmployerESource is your resource for information on local state and federal laws, updating employee handbooks, and dealing with difficult employees.
Employee ESource’s goal is to help support your business and protect you from unnecessary liabilities and costly litigation.

Contact Wendy at (406) 551-5716 or HRAssociatesusa@gmail.com.

Mr. Anderson has over 20 years’ direct hands-on experience managing a wide variety of hazardous wastes and specifically in implementing RCRA compliant programs at over 1,000 ranges from the East Coast to the West Coast and in nearly all 50 states. His extensive RCRA Hazardous Waste experience includes handling over 1,000,000 tons of lead-impacted firing range wastes from regular maintenance activities involving filters, cleaning, maintenance, as well as from remediation involving renovation, soil treatment, and range decontamination.

He has managed lead containment and recycling at nearly 1,000 firing ranges successfully handling over 3,000,000 lbs. of lead recycled in just the last 4 years alone.

Mr. Anderson is highly sought-after for his firing range lead waste expertise from Federal/State, Governmental Agencies, and local gun clubs including but not limited to: U.S. National Guard, U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. Air Force, U.S. Pentagon, U.S. Capitol Police, U.S. Border Patrol, and police ranges from Seattle to New York City. In addition, he has specific expertise in managing small-quantity wastes from public local gun clubs in nearly all 50 states.

Our Gun Range Cleaning and lead maintenance services provide your range with comprehensive firing range services from the nation’s #1 largest professional contractor for all your indoor and outdoor range needs

 Kutak Rock is the only AmLaw 200 firm with a national firearms industry group. While other law firms might claim they serve the industry, Kutak Rock has more than 20 lawyers focused specifically on the business and legal needs of firearm, ammunition and accessory manufacturers, and dealers and ranges. Kutak Rock offers turnkey services, able to serve every legal need our clients require. We are a true industry group.

Joe Kavan – Partner, Kutak Rock

Joe represents entities involved in the firearms industry in their licensure, regulation, structure, organization, financing, and ongoing compliance, which includes domestic and international firearms manufacturers, ammunition manufacturers, firearms dealers, firearms importers and exporters, and banks and other financial entities providing financing to the firearms industry.

Contact Joe:
Joseph.Kavan@KutakRock.com
Ph: 402.231.8808

Mike Brown – Partner, Kutak Rock  

Mike represents regional and national firearms dealers, ammunition and accessory manufacturers, and firearms manufacturers, providing advice and counsel regarding licensing and compliance matters, corporate restructuring, point-of-sale compliance, general contract review, acquisition and expansion, and defense of legal claims.

Contact Mike: 

Michael.Brown@KutakRock.com

Ph: 816.502.4643

Join us for a final session where our speakers will address many of the questions submitted by the summit attendees