Montana Silversmiths
 | |
| Industry | Jewelry, Silversmithing |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1973 |
| Headquarters | , US |
Key people | Kent Williams, founder; Jack Gunion, CEO |
| Products | silver products, western-themed jewelry |
Number of employees | 250 |
| Website | www |
Montana Silversmiths is a buckles and jewelry products seller located in Columbus, Montana. They produce the hand-engraved trophy belt buckles that are awarded to the winners of the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo each year.
History
[edit]Montana Silversmiths was founded in 1973 by Kent Williams. Seven years after being founded, the company moved to its permanent location in Columbus, Montana. Williams sold the company in 1993.[1] In October 2004 the majority of Montana Silversmiths stock was sold to Thompson Street Capital Partners.[2]
It is currently run by CEO Jack Gunion and employs approximately 250 people,[3] some of which have worked for the company for decades.[1] The company's blue velvet presentation boxes have been manufactured since 2011 by residents of Special K Ranch, a home for adults with disabilities. They had previously been manufactured in China, but company officials decided to make production local as the products are made in the USA.[4]
In June 2017 Montana Silversmiths opened a brand store in Bozeman, Montana. It is the first store of its kind, but the company expressed interest in opening more in the future.[5]
Products and commercial partnerships
[edit]Montana Silversmiths makes a variety of silver products, but Western-themed jewelry is their biggest seller.[1] The company produces trophy belt buckles, which are awarded annually to the winners of the National Finals Rodeo (NFR), numerous smaller rodeos, and UCWDC Country Dance World Championships[6] belt buckles.[1][7] Each NFR buckle is hand-engraved and takes a silversmith 30 to 40 hours to complete.[1] Montana Silversmiths buckles are also awarded to winners of various competitions sanctioned by the American Quarter Horse Association (AQHA),[8] including the AQHA World Show, and have been since 1992.[9] The company also partners with Miss Rodeo America.[10] In 2013 Montana Silversmiths partnered with Girls With Guns, a company that designs and sells hunting and outdoor clothing for women, to produce branded jewelry and belt buckles.[7] They have been named the official buckle supplier for the United States Team Penning Association for 2017-2018.[11] They are also a corporate sponsor for the Arabian Horse Association.[12] While the company has two stores of their own, their products are additionally sold in approximately 2500 stores across the United States.[5]
References
[edit]- ^ a b c d e News, Samantha Harrelson - MTN. "Montana Made: Montana Silversmiths". Retrieved 11 January 2017.
{{cite web}}:|last=has generic name (help) - ^ Staff, JAN FALSTAD Of The Gazette. "Montana silversmiths: … hits the mother lode". Retrieved 11 January 2017.
- ^ "Montana P-78 : Absarokee to Columbus (P.M.S. Control #0920) in Stillwater County: Environmental Impact Statement". 1 January 2002. Retrieved 11 January 2017 – via Google Books.
- ^ Gazette, LINDA HALSTEAD-ACHARYA For the. "Bright new day for Montana Silversmiths". Retrieved 11 January 2017.
- ^ a b "Montana Silversmiths opens downtown 'brand' store".
- ^ "You Need Good PR". youneedgoodpr. youneedgoodpr.com. Retrieved 24 December 2022.
- ^ a b "Girls with Guns Clothing Partners with Montana Silversmiths". 26 November 2013. Retrieved 11 January 2017.
- ^ "AQHA: Young Horse Development Scholarship Winners". Retrieved 11 January 2017.
- ^ "AQHA: Montana Silversmiths". Retrieved 11 January 2017.
- ^ "Membership".
- ^ "USTPA Partners with Montana Silversmiths". Retrieved 11 January 2017.
- ^ "ArabianHorses.org - Corporate Support". Retrieved 11 January 2017.