Tom Gresham Honored By POMA & NSSF

Tom Gresham Honored By POMA & NSSF

Tom Gresham's Gun Talk
Tom Gresham's Gun Talk

ORLANDO, Florida – -(ShootingWire.com)- The Professional Outdoor Media Association (POMA) and the National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF) honored veteran shooting sports journalist Tom Gresham during the State of the Industry Dinner and Gala at the Shooting Hunting Outdoor Trade (SHOT) Show. Gresham, of Natchitoches, Louisiana, was presented with the prestigious POMA/NSSF Grits Gresham Shooting Sports Communicator Award. J. Wayne Fears, the inaugural award winner, presented the award, a bronze of one of Grits Gresham’s signature hats, to Tom Gresham.

In honor of legendary outdoor communicator Grits Gresham, POMA and the NSSF developed the award in 2005 to recognize communicators within the firearms/shooting sports/Second Amendment arena who grasp the ideals, foster the commitment, and display the talent Gresham has shown during his storied career.

“When the award committee considered the nominees, last year’s Grits Gresham award winner Jim Carmichel hit the nail on the head when he said, ‘Who else could our choice be but Tom? He is the consummate shooting sports communicator.'” Fears reported. “The committee unanimously agreed.

“Our industry is lucky to have Tom carrying the torch, lit by his father, and acting as a standard bearer for shooting sports communicators,” Fears added. “Our industry’s foundation was built upon the passing of knowledge and a passion of shooting to the next generation. Grits planted the seeds and Tom has grown a communications career and business to be envied and emulated.”

By the time Gresham was 18 he co-authored a syndicated newspaper column. At 23, he was the editor of Southern Outdoors Magazine. Other magazines he has edited include American Hunter, Alaska, Handloader, and Rifle. He’s also written several books, including Weatherby: The Man, The Gun, The Legend. Today, Gresham lives in north-central Louisiana, and from there he travels the country to tape television shows, visits gun factories, ventures out on great hunting trips and broadcasts his weekly talk radio show about guns. It’s a monster of a show, carried on regular radio stations, on Sirius 108 and XM channel 139and worldwide through live streaming, podcasts and downloadable MP3 files.

“Nothing is more gratifying than being recognized by your peers,” Gresham said. “And this award – carrying my father’s name – means more than anyone can know. I’ve been covering the shooting sports and gun rights for more than 40 years, and while I certainly thank POMA, the NSSF, the mentoring of my father and the support of my family, the biggest thanks has to go to the community of shooters and gun rights activists in this country.

“Now, more than ever, gun owners have recognized the need – even the urgency – to become politically active if they are to retain their civil rights when it comes to firearms ownership. It’s this growing passion, and the public’s need for responsible information about guns, that energizes me to continue creating avenues for promoting the responsible use of firearms.”

Nominations for the POMA/NSSF Grits Gresham Shooting Sports Communicator Award are garnered from all corners of the shooting sports industry. Gresham was unanimously selected as this year’s recipient by a panel representing NSSF and POMA as well as the past award recipients.

Nominees and recipients of the POMA/NSSF Grits Gresham Shooting Sports Communicator Award are not required to be affiliated with any communicators or industry organization. All shooting sports industry professionals are encouraged to make nominations for the award through the POMA Web site at: www.professionaloutdoormedia.org