Benchmade names new leaders to drive growth and innovation

By AI, Created 5:01 PM UTC, June 04, 2026, /AGP/ – Benchmade Knife Company announced a new leadership structure June 4, 2026, promoting and hiring executives across sales, product and finance as the Oregon manufacturer pushes for faster innovation and global expansion. The changes are meant to support American production while sharpening the company’s commercial strategy and product pipeline.

Why it matters: - Benchmade is reorganizing leadership around product, commercial and operational execution as it pushes for growth in the premium knife market. - The changes are designed to support more innovation, stronger retail relationships and continued investment in U.S. manufacturing. - The company is also signaling that it wants to scale globally without losing the craftsmanship and quality standards tied to its Oregon factory.

What happened: - Benchmade Knife Company announced leadership appointments and promotions on June 4, 2026. - Joe Prebich was promoted to vice president of sales and marketing. - Ryan Coulter was appointed vice president of product. - Powers Schurrer was promoted to vice president of finance. - Joel Kershaw continues as vice president of operations. - The company said the new structure unites product, commercial and operational leadership.

The details: - Prebich will oversee sales, marketing, brand, customer experience and go-to-market strategy. - Benchmade said the commercial organization will now operate under one customer, one brand, one launch system and one commercial truth. - Prebich has spent six years helping guide Benchmade’s growth and building connections with customers and retail partners. - Coulter founded The James Brand and previously held product leadership roles at Nike, Burton Snowboards and Ziba Design. - As vice president of product, Coulter will oversee innovation strategy, customer insights, product roadmap development and future category expansion. - Schurrer has been with Benchmade since 2021 and will lead financial strategy for product development, manufacturing capacity and commercial growth. - Kershaw oversees Benchmade’s Oregon manufacturing operation. - Benchmade said Kershaw transformed the Oregon factory into a scalable facility that can support higher production volumes and continued global expansion. - Benchmade says its knives are trusted by ranchers, tradespeople, first responders, military professionals, guides, hunters, outdoor enthusiasts and astronauts. - The company said its next growth chapter will come from deeper customer relationships, faster innovation, stronger retail partnerships and ongoing investment in American manufacturing. - More information is available at the company’s announcement. - Media inquiries were directed to Principal Greg Fitzsimmons at greg@chair6collective.com.

Between the lines: - Benchmade is not just filling roles; it is centralizing decision-making across the parts of the business that shape product launch speed and brand consistency. - The move suggests the company wants to compete more like a global consumer brand while keeping manufacturing in one U.S. facility. - CEO Jon deAsis framed the changes as part of building a “world-class brand” and aligning leadership around a single goal.

What’s next: - Benchmade’s new leadership team will be responsible for translating the restructuring into new products, tighter commercial execution and broader market reach. - The company’s ability to expand while maintaining quality will likely be the key test for the strategy. - Continued investment in the Oregon manufacturing base appears central to the next phase of growth.

The bottom line: - Benchmade is betting that tighter alignment across product, sales, finance and operations will help it scale faster without diluting its manufacturing identity.