Be Fast, Be Accurate, Be the Best
It has been a long time since I first met Bill, but he has been in the practical shooting game from its inception. I first competed in a US National IPSC championship back in 1981 where he was one of the top shooters. I was a new kid on the block, and doing things dif- ferently. Bill saw this not as a challenge to the accepted system, but as evolution. And that is what makes Bill unique. He has always been at the forefront of innovation, a trend he has maintained in many facets of his life. As a shooter, instructor, tinkerer, and inventor, Bill s mind has stayed sharp and focused on solving problems, with an eye for per- fection that is difficult to maintain for any length of time. I have seen many people come and go in my life but only a few have left a lasting impression. Bill is one of them.In the beginning there was the holster, which Bill saw as flawed and began a lifetime journey toward improvement that continues to this day. His contributions to the development and improvement of belt gear for law enforcement, military, and sporting use has had no equal, and most likely never will. Bill was the man who brought me into the Safariland family so many years ago, and his influence has had a strong hand in my shooting success. I think back to the holsters I used before my career with Safariland as the B.C. era and after as the Modern Times . When Bill looked at what we needed for the job, he developed new materials and manufacturing processes that were light years ahead of anyone else s thinking. This has allowed for better performance in every measurable category. Speed, security, durability, and safety are all improved because of Bill s work.Bill didn t stop with holsters, oh no. For those of you who don t know, Bill the innovator, has engineered many of the products and concepts used by every modern pistolero. He runs one of the most cutting edge shooting schools in the world, where he pushes the en- velope of what can and can t be done. His forward thinking has pushed performance for small arms to the highest levels. In an industry where many instructors get by on theory and ego, Bill has managed to do it the right way. Using observation and analysis, attention to detail, and a logical plan for improvement, Bill gets a student to go further than he thought he could. This is what sets a great instructor apart. I can t think of any shooter who Bill and his concepts would not help.If this is sounding like I think highly of the guy, it is purely inten- tional. Few have done as much as Bill has already, and I know his con- tributions to training and product development for the practical, law enforcement, and military shooter will continue for many years to come.Listen to the man. He knows what he is talking about. Rob LeathamRob is inarguably one of the fastest and most winning pistol shooters of all time, winning his 15th consecutive 1911 Single Stack Classic / USPSA Nationals in May, 2009. A few of his major titles include 23-time USP- SA National Champion, 7-time NRA Bianchi Cup Champion, 6-time Steel Challenge Champion, 6-time IDPA CDP National Champion, and 5-time IPSC World Champion.--Rob Leatham