Even though I have been retired for nearly 3 years now, and Lobo Gun Leather is now in the able hands of the Fedders family in Ely, Minnesota, it does my heart good to see that people are still pleased with my designs and the company that I created. The "Enhanced Pancake" and earlier "Enhanced Avenger" designs were the results of a number of ideas that had been bouncing around inside my head for years, and the development of those ideas into a final product consumed much of my time for 2 to 3 years of trial and error, review, prototype after prototype, testing and more revisions. I truly believe that the Enhanced Pancake is the single best innovation on the original "pancake" holster concept by Roy Baker, going back about 50 years ago.

Building a business, creating something that never existed before and working to develop it into a viable enterprise is a bit like raising a child. You want to see it grow and thrive. You never want to see it sick, or hurt, or (heaven forbid) dead.

Three years ago I was ready to retire. I had worked for 53 years, retired from law enforcement and gone into business full-time, and spent nearly 9 years working 7 days per week. I was tired. Arthritis, neuropathy, and cancer issues were daily challenges. In August 2015 I announced that I was no longer taking new orders. I completed and delivered my final order on November 2, 2015. It was a sad time in some ways, thinking about just shutting down the company and walking away.

I was contacted by Mark Fedders in early September, inquiring about taking over the business, and Mark and family arrived shortly thereafter to spend a week with me in the shop as I worked down the order list. I was impressed with Mark and the whole family, and we struck a deal. In early November everything was loaded in a trailer and taken to the Fedders' home in Iowa, then I went there and spent 8 days with the family as the first production runs were completed. Since then I have remained on call as a consultant with frequent telephone and e-mail communications as needed to deal with questions, concerns, and product ideas. Early this year the Fedders relocated to Ely, Minnesota (beautiful community near the Boundary Waters area on the Canadian border), and I went out to see the new Lobo facility. While this has always been a business deal, I can happily say that we have become very good friends and I would be happy to count the Fedders as members of my own family.

Mark and Alethea are wonderful people. Son Matthew is a very talented leather worker in his own right (numerous awards and honors, especially in the field of leather carving in the Sheridan floral style, truly an artist working in leather). Another son, Luke, is a pleasure to be around. Then there are the rest of the family (all 8 children!!!), just a joy and pleasure to spend time with!

I am confident that those who choose Lobo Gun Leather now and in the future will receive a superior product delivered with only the best in customer service from a fine family committed to excellence.

Special thanks to all who entrusted me with their needs over the years, allowing me to retire very comfortably.

Best regards.