Hoyt Archery recently announced that Zak Kurtzhals (above) has been named the new company president. Currently Hoyt’s VP of Operations, Kurtzhals will succeed Randy Walk effective July 19, 2021.

Greg Easton, president of Jas. D. Easton and owner of Hoyt Archery, shared the news with Hoyt employees in a company meeting in early July 2021, explaining that after a thorough search, Kurtzhals’ qualifications, leadership skills, and passion for archery and bowhunting make him the ideal candidate to lead Hoyt. “Zak has a proven history with the company and a strong vision for Hoyt’s future,” Easton said. “I am excited about this new opportunity for Zak and for Hoyt.”

Kurtzhals, a native of Nebraska, is an accomplished target archer and bowhunter who joined the Hoyt team as a product engineer in 2003. He has held several key leadership positions with the company, including engineering manager, director of engineering, VP of engineering, and currently, VP of operations. Kurtzhals has also served on the ATA Technical Committee since 2014.

“I have big shoes to fill taking over for Randy,” Kurtzhals said. “He has been an amazing mentor and friend, and I am grateful for all that I learned from him during the 18 years we worked together.”

Walk, who is retiring after 26 years as president, is confident Hoyt is being left in good hands. “Zak is a very talented leader who has contributed greatly to Hoyt’s success over the years,” Walk said. “He will do an amazing job as president, and I couldn’t ask for a better successor.”

Hoyt has a strong and talented executive team in place with over 85 years of combined experience working for the company. Todd Erickson, VP of finance joined Hoyt in 1998; Tom Driffill, VP of sales, joined Hoyt in 2001; Gideon Jolley, director of R&D and intellectual property joined Hoyt in 1996; and Jeremy Eldredge, director of marketing, joined Hoyt in 2004.