Scott Kranz, AECOM
Scott Kranz, a senior project manager with AECOM in Portland, Ore., has more than 18 years of environmental and engineering consulting experience. For the past 10 years, Scott has leveraged his knowledge of waste management, environmental compliance, land-use regulations and the shooting sports to develop practical solutions for small-arms range owners and operators and the active volunteers at member gun clubs and sportsman’s clubs. His expertise in range safety and environmental Best Management Practices enables him to design ranges with lower operation and maintenance costs and reduce liability for his clients. In addition, Scott has provided expert witness testimony and is a recognized small-arms range expert. Scott can assist your range in the following areas:
- Outdoor-range lead-management plans, where he evaluates all aspects of the range (including storm-water drainage, water features, safety, bullet-impact berms, shot-outfall areas and lead-recovery efforts) and develops Best Management Practices (BMPs) to manage lead on the range. The BMPs are presented in an Environmental Stewardship Plan (ESP) that meets state and federal regulatory requirements.
- Outdoor-range design for new ranges and retrofitting of existing ranges, including all grading plans, geotechnical guidance and structural engineering as necessary. The plans and documents are developed for submittal to local government for project permitting.
- Land-use planning and permitting and wetland services.
- Indoor-range assessment and development of lead-management plans. The indoor-range assessment includes evaluating the ventilation system and detecting if lead is migrating out of the indoor range and into other portions of the building. The lead-management plan is developed to help the indoor-range manager document compliance with all applicable environmental and occupational-safety regulations.
- Indoor-range design for new ranges and retrofitting of existing ranges. The design elements range from complete architectural and engineering design drawings for new ranges to necessary drawings for ventilation and bullet-trap improvements.
- Investigation, cleanup, and risk management of closed or abandoned ranges.
Bobby Cummings, Clark Nexsen Public Safety & Shooting Sports Facilities
Bobby Cummings, PE DBIA, is a trusted expert in the design of shooting range facilities. He leads a full-service team of architects and engineers that has delivered more than 50 firing, driving, and special operations range facilities. Clark Nexsen has been ranked a Top 10 Military Design Firm by Building Design + Construction for the last five years and counting. Bobby has more than 30 years of total experience and 15 years focused exclusively on firing and tactical training facilities.
He understands the significance of these spaces in preparing public safety officials to effectively serve. Additionally, he and his team understand the funding constraints and regulatory nuances that vary from state to state, and support clients with an outside-the-box mindset to overcome these challenges.
As a reserve deputy sheriff and a hunter, Bobby is passionate about safe recreational and professional use of firearms. He is also a certified law enforcement firearms instructor in the state of Virginia. His hands-on experience guides his work as a civil engineer, project manager, and principal-in-charge designing and building firing ranges and other types of facilities.
Bobby and his team of experts:
Offer clients unparalleled expertise in the design and construction of firearms training facilities, shooting ranges, fire and police operations facilities and stations, vehicle training ranges, and emergency communications centers.
Design, build, and renovate cutting-edge ranges for owners and operators.
Provide clients with a single-source of all services for design and construction. Their Public Safety team can work with Clark Nexsen Construction Services to provide comprehensive delivery of range facilities from design through construction completion.
Prepare scope and concept studies for indoor and outdoor ranges.
Translate clients’ training needs into effective design solutions, presenting those designs and partnering with clients to determine the ideal solution for a wide range of budgets.
Provide owners with accurate cost projections and alternatives.
Discuss the life-cycle cost of buildings and make staffing recommendations.
Help clients understand all the details — of equipment, targets, audiovisual systems, safety concerns, and the environmental criteria — especially lead and heavy metal contamination of the air and wash down water.
Help clients plan – in addition to design and construction services, Bobby and his team support range owners and operators with the greenfield site selection, planning, and programming that precede facility design.
Dick Peddicord, Environmental Range Protection
Richard K. “Dick” Peddicord, Ph.D., helps ranges operate in an environmentally sound and sustainable way consistent with case law and regulatory guidance, while minimizing potential short- and long-term legal and financial liabilities of range owners and operators. He has provided environmental excellence to the shooting sports since 1986. During that time, he has become one of the most broadly experienced leaders in the country in environmental evaluation and management at outdoor shooting ranges.
Dr. Peddicord offers the proven capability to evaluate conditions, integrate understanding of complex environmental issues, develop practical environmental stewardship plans, help obtain permits and successfully minimize short- and long-term environmental liabilities at outdoor shooting ranges through design, planning, assessment, negotiation and management in ways compatible with the practical requirements of day-to-day range operations. His services regularly involve:
- Assistance to range designers, engineers, architects by:
- identifying the optimum range site from an environmental perspective
- orienting and configuring ranges on the property to optimize environmental management
- optimizing environmental aspects of range improvements, upgrades, expansions, etc.
- Technical support of counsel
- Expert testimony
- Analysis of applicable regulations and strategic/tactical advice about implications and compliance
- Scientific investigation and evaluation of implications of specific issues:
- sampling and analysis of water, soil, air and plants/animal tissue
- water-quality investigations
- ecological-risk assessment
- human-health-risk assessment
- Identification, contracting and oversight of scientific and engineering specialists as needed, including wetlands delineation and jurisdictional issues
- Identification of issues and management of asphalt pitch and biodegradable clay targets
- Selection, contracting and management of lead-reclamation/recycling companies
- Evaluation and implementation of soil stabilization and other non-routine management actions
- Environmental and regulatory aspects of range closure and property transfers
- Public hearing presentations, public communication
- Technical support in obtaining permits, zoning board approvals, etc.
- Environmental Assessments (EAs) for Pittman-Robertson funding
- Scientific evaluation and management of issues under the Endangered Species Act and Migratory Bird Treaty Act
- Environmental policies and procedures for range operation consistent with current case law, EPA and sate agency guidance, site-specific orders, regulatory decisions, etc.
- Preparation of site-specific Best Management Practices (Environmental Stewardship Plans) consistent with current case law and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and state guidance
Jeff Swanson, NexGen Range Consulting
Jeff Swanson is Co-founder and an owner of Wilshire Gun, and the Managing Member of NexGen RangeConsulting. As an entrepreneur and attorney with more than 20 years of experience as a litigator, real estate advisor and business development consultant, Jeff is an accomplished business owner and operator with experience in the development, structuring and negotiation of business ventures, creating business plans and franchise programs, managing and motivating teams, and implementing operations from inception to profitability. Jeff holds a Juris Doctorate from the University of Tulsa and a Bachelors of Art with emphasis in finance and communication from the University of Oklahoma.
Since developing, opening and managing Wilshire Gun, a “next generation” shooting facility in Oklahoma, he has successfully turned over day-to-day operations to his management team so that he can focus on helping other range owners across the country creating their own “next generation” shooting facilities.
NexGen RangeConsulting structures it’s offerings in an “a la carte” menu of services based on the following:
Opportunity Analysis, Executive Business Plan and Proforma
Research and analyze your project’s viability based on demographic market research, cost projections, and revenue potential
Develop your Business Plan and Proforma with detailed profit center analysis and financial models
Assist in presenting your Business Plan to potential investors and bankers to secure funding
Facility Design, Construction, & Plan Advising
Work with architect and general contractor to create optimal facility design and selection of range equipment
Next generation technology recommendations to create better customer engagement
Organizational Structure & Policies and Procedures
Create Business Start-up Timeline
Develop Organizational Chart, Hiring Plan, wage recommendations, and Roles and Responsibilities documents
Create Employee Manual and additional organizational documents
Work with your staff to provide an understanding of daily operations and perform onsite visit to ensure implementation
Inventory Management & Retail Design Recommendations
Develop interactive retail floor design targeting new shooters
Create inventory plan and pricing strategy for your target market
Assist in establishing ordering protocols, and relationships with distributors and manufacturers
Develop policies & procedures for inventory control and provide recommendations for work-flow
Branding / Merchandising
Assist in development and implementation of corporate branding and social media strategy
Develop marketing action plan and merchandising strategy to maximize impact with minimal cost
Cafe & Event Business Development
Create opportunities to host events for individuals and corporations
Assist in the creative development of the café business plan, design, operating policies and procedures, staffing, and opportunity cost
Training for both Front of the House (FOH) & Back of the House (BOH) employees & management
Stuart Mullen, Range Development Services, LLC.
After establishing several indoor shooting ranges “from Concept to Cash Register” and recognizing an opportunity to provide a powerful service born from a specialized skillset with key insight and value add strategies, Stuart Mullen established Range Development Services, LLC. Stuart’s comprehensive scope includes close involvement in all aspects of guiding clients through every step of establishing a firearms shooting range, effectively serving as a temporary CEO which affords clients the opportunity to capitalize on keen experience and knowledge resulting in the timely and insightful process of casting a vision, solidifying plans, and executing them into reality. Project validation with investors and lenders both empowers clients and minimizes the time and money risks associated with the multifaceted steps of establishing a quality firearms shooting range facilities.
With more than a dozen fields of expertise and often more than 50 individuals (not including construction laborers) involved in a range facility, Stuart’s scope of services offers strategic advice, if not direct management, of:
- Market analysis with robust demographic analysis and comparisons
- Site selection and strategy negotiations to minimize undue cash outlay and risk exposure, due diligence, and feasibility
- Detailed budgeting based upon client-driven scope with actual supporting shooting range construction costs data
- Revenue and operating cost projections
- Proven investment grade multi-year projections for use with investors / lenders
- Range Project Funding: Lender and investor relations and recommendations
- The planning, programming, design, and engagement of professional services
- Retail shopping environment strategy recommendations -tailored and insightful recommendations to address the demands of a high functioning, quality retail environment
- Construction administration, budgeting, budget tracking, strategic scheduling for deployment of pursuit capital, equity / capital funding strategy, industry vendors / distributor strategy and introductions, point of sales / store security / IT recommendations for operations, insights on OSHA standards
- Unbiased shooting range equipment (ballistic and HVAC / ventilation) recommendations
- Key vendor and supplier recommendations
Range Development Services is responsible for a variety of commercial indoor shooting range facilities across the country, some of which include cafés, archery facilities, simulators, and lounges. Range Development Services’ clients consistently endeavor to build again, proving Stuart’s earnest commitment to the process and associated successes. For more information on how, why, when and where to build visit: RangeDevelopmentServices.com.
John Renzulli and Christopher Renzulli, Renzulli Law Firm, LLP
John Renzulli and Christopher Renzulli are attorneys with extensive experience consulting with and defending shooting ranges on a wide variety of legal matters relating to their operations. They regularly consult with new ranges and existing ranges on range development plans and range improvements, and the defensibility of the effectiveness of range safety structures such as baffling systems. In addition, they have also defended numerous ranges in personal injury and property damage matters. For instance, they have defended both club and commercial ranges from personal injury and wrongful death claims arising out of firearm rentals, and have also defended ranges from claims that bullets escaped and struck neighboring properties and buildings. Their experience includes a comprehensive understanding of available range designs, industry standards, ballistics, firearm capabilities, materials engineering and cost factors associated with range design and construction. They are also experts in fighting injunctions and reopening closed ranges by obtaining relief from court injunctions through both physical and operational range modification. Among the services they offer to ranges are:
- Range development consulting
- Legal compliance issues, such as applicable state and local laws, and requirements for operating commercial ranges
- Commercial range operational matters, including offering rentals and incorporating sales of firearms and ammunition into range operations
- Preparing policy manuals, waivers and releases, appropriate range rules and written safety protocols
- Reviewing and developing sufficient range rule enforcement measures
- Ensuring that the effectiveness of baffling systems and safety practices can be defended and proven to a court in the event disputes arise
- Range defense:
- Claims of errant bullets causing property damage and personal injury
- Trespass and nuisance actions
- Wrongful death and personal injury claims based on alleged negligence in operation of commercial ranges
- Developing modification and range improvement plans and negotiating resolutions of disputes with neighbors and town officials
- Vacating and modifying injunctions to re-open ranges and eliminate court imposed restrictions/limitations on range operations
Leo Dombrowski, Sanchez Daniels & Hoffman LLP
Leo P. Dombrowski is an attorney with over 20 years of experience in environmental, health and safety, and toxic tort matters. He regularly counsels and represents industrial and commercial clients in a wide variety of matters, including EPA enforcement actions, private party litigation, worker exposure, site cleanups, permit applications and proceedings, compliance issues, and contaminated property transactions.
As part of his practice, Leo has developed an expertise regarding legal issues affecting shooting ranges. He has advised numerous range owners and operators, including the Federal Bureau of Investigation, regarding range management and operational matters involving hazardous waste requirements, shot recycling, the Clean Water Act, OSHA, permits, land use issues, and negotiation with environmental agencies.
As an example, he represented the defendants in Stone v. Naperville Park District, a case brought under the Clean Water Act and RCRA hazardous waste regulations by a disgruntled neighbor who sought to shut down the range. Following an adverse court ruling and lengthy negotiations with the US EPA and Illinois EPA, the case resulted in the only NPDES permit ever issued to a private shooting range and allowed the range to continue shooting.
Leo is determined to eliminate or minimize legal liability and its financial costs, thereby allowing ranges to focus on what they do best.
His services involve:
- Appearing in state and federal courts on behalf of range owners, operators, and users.
- Identifying and working with suitable expert witnesses.
- Negotiating permits and range management issues with state and federal environmental agencies.
- Defending permit holders in appeals brought by third-parties seeking to invalidate permit.
- Working with range designers and consultants regarding legal compliance and environmental stewardship.
- Obtaining “No Further Action” determinations for site cleanups.
- Analyzing environmental and health and safety requirements applicable to indoor and outdoor ranges.
- Determining whether and to what extent noise ordinances apply to ranges.
- Preparing and negotiating contracts with lead recyclers and remediation contractors.
- Evaluating site-specific Best Management Practices (Environmental Stewardship Plans).
Ed Santos, Tactical Services Group
Ed Santos is founder and president of Center Target Sports and the Tactical Services Group Inc. Ed is a threat management specialist. He serves as an expert witness on matters of shooting range operations, design and safety, and personal and industrial security.
Evaluating the potential of opening a shooting range and retail store can feel overwhelming at times. The consulting services provided by Tactical Services Group (TSG) are unique as a division of Center Target Sports, Inc. (CTS) an indoor sports shooting and training center. In 2010, CTS received the SHOT Business Magazine Range of the Year Award and was recognized as the “Best Indoor Range in the USA” by the Glock Corporation’s Glock Sport Shooting Foundation. TSG gives you access to a team of professionals that are involved on a daily basis in the management, operations, marketing training, and logistics of one of the most successful shooting ranges in the country. Assessments and recommendations are based on the current historical status of commercial-range operations. The primary goal of Tactical Services Group is to ensure the development, understanding and verification of the ideal plan for the successful operation of a modern safe retail and range facility.
The complete package includes business-plan development and review, customizable employee manual and lead-management policy documentation, inventory selection, niche market value and development, business operations and Best Practices, proven printable custom business forms, QuickBooks specific chart of accounts, real-world financial analysis and much more. Additional services available include:
- Business location evaluation
- Demographic analysis to include competition analysis
- Governmental documentation and regulation needs assessment
- Planning and zoning process understanding and presentations
- Plan / design review
- Budget development and justification
- Trades negotiation and recommendations