AKTI President
Bill Raczkowski
Category Manager of Knives, Gerber Legendary Blades 
Gerber has been a Board of Regents member since 1998. While the Vice President of AKTI 2009-2011, Bill committed to helping grow membership within the industry. As the current AKTI President he is continuing that membership growth effort and AKTI’s mission to defend the right to manufacture, import, distribute and own knives in U.S. He is Gerber’s Category Manager of Knives has been in and out of the cutlery business since 1993.
AKTI Vice President
Rod Bremer
President, Columbia River Knife & Tool Co. 
Rod Bremer, co-founder and president of the Columbia River Knife & Tool in Oregon, accepted an invitation to fill a vacancy as a Regent in June 2009. He has been involved in the industry for 23 years and associated with AKTI for a decade. He said he “happily agreed and was pleased to be invited to be on the board.” Rod added that he is passionate about AKTI and its mission, particularly in what he called “challenging times.” He also said that his passion for the industry is stronger now than it has ever been.
AKTI Past President
Goldie Russell
Pres/CEO, A.G. Russell Knives 
Goldie Russell was elected the fifth president of AKTI at its 10th annual meeting in 2007 and served until June 2011. As CEO and President of A. G Russell Knives, she brings excellent direction and guidance to AKTI’s efforts and insight into the retail and mail order aspects of the knife industry, as well as the perspective of individual knife owners.
Les de Asis
Chairman, Benchmade Knife Co. 
As the founder and owner of Benchmade Knife Company, Les de Asis has shown years of dedication to the knife industry. He is the co-founder of Pacific Northwest Defense Coalition (PNDC) and co-founder of the American Knife & Tool Institute (AKTI). In 2010, Les announced that all Benchmade branded product would be proudly made in the USA. His undying passion to continually innovate and dedication to excellence has earned him enormous respect in the knife industry and beyond.”
CJ Buck
CEO, Buck Knives 
CJ is the 4th generation Buck to run the family business which was started by his great grandfather in 1902, when knives were an essential survival tool for tradesmen, hunters, ranchers and farmers and 108 years later, knives are still an important daily piece of equipment. CJ was instrumental in orchestrating some much needed “one hand opening” knife legislation reform in California in the mid 90’s. That effort evolved with industry wide support into the co-founding of AKTI. Growing up in the knife industry, CJ has watched vague and unclear knife legislation evolve over the last few decades and is highly motivated to make sure that American citizens from tradesmen to soccer moms are able to have and carry knives that facilitate their daily lives with confidence.
Craig Green
Director Production & Engineering, Kershaw Knives 
Kershaw has been a Regent member of AKTI since 1999. Craig Green, Director of Manufacturing and Engineering, who represents Kershaw on the board, has over 16 years experience in the industry. AKTI is important to Kershaw because it is a unified voice for the knife industry in the United States.
Gil Hibben
President, Knifemakers Guild 
Gil Hibben has been a custom knifemaker for over 53 years and is the current President of The Knifemakers’ Guild. The Guild represents handmade knifemakers who make a living from their craft. As a Board of Regents member of the AKTI, Gil believes his responsibility is to help protect the rights of not only knifemakers, be it handmade or factory, but, also the rights of all to collect, own, and carry man’s oldest tool, the knife.
Mike Manrose
Vice President, Meyerco 
As Vice President of Meyerco, Mike is also an active outdoorsman with a passion for fishing and hunting. He describes the knife industry as a small tight knit group and quite a few are now his extended family. Mike believes AKTI gives their company, as well as himself a voice much larger than we could be individually. Mike is personally involved with AKTI because he believes in what AKTI is doing. AKTI saved knives in Texas and Mike wants to do all he can to help protect others in this great country and insure they have the same freedom to use their knife in their everyday life.
Clint Kadel
President/CEO, United Cutlery 
Clint is President /CEO of The Edge Enterprises, a successful multi-divisional company that includes BUDK and United Cutlery, “the leader in producing top quality licensed collectibles,” among them, Lord of the Rings. Clint, who grew up in Moultrie, GA, says he loves the water, wildlife and being outdoors. He became involved with AKTI because “The right to keep and have knives in American lives says it all,” adding that, “I feel AKTI is an organization where I can contribute and have some input.”
Jan Billeb
AKTI Executive Director (Ex-Officio)
Jan Billeb has over 25 years of experience in nonprofit association management and has been involved with AKTI since the organizational groundwork was laid in 1997. She enthusiastically believes in the importance of associations in advancing American values and helping American businesses and is a member of the American Society of Association Executives.