🚀 Born on June 24, 1939, in Montezuma, Iowa, Frank Brownell wasn’t just handed the family business on a silver platter. Nope, this guy earned his stripes! After graduating magna cum laude from the University of Iowa and serving as a U.S. Navy reservist on the USS Caliente, he joined Brownells in 1965. From laying out Big Book Catalog #18 to helping publish the first Gunsmith Kinks book in 1969, Frank was a force to be reckoned with. As President in 1983, CEO in 2007, and Chairman in 2012, he transformed Brownells into the world’s leading supplier of firearms accessories, gunsmithing tools, and parts. Talk about a glow-up!

But Frank didn’t stop there. He was a marketing mastermind, from pushing the Latigo Sling in 1964 to elevating gunsmithing to a respected profession. His innovations, like the Law Enforcement Patrol Rifle Program, redefined the industry. A Navy veteran and Second Amendment advocate, Frank’s kindness and enthusiasm were legendary at SHOT Show and NRA Annual Meetings, where he greeted “long lines of friends.” His son, Pete Brownell, CEO of Brownells, summed it up perfectly: “Frank was the kind of person who made you better just by being around him.” Now that’s a legacy worth celebrating! 🎉