In Memory
has mentored over the years. Born Charles Stephen Gibbs in 1948 in rural Wayne County, Illinois, Steve was an active youth, who had little interest in archery. He spent his time fishing, participating in track events and racing his motorcycle. Growing up with seven siblings and vying for the attention of his parents, Seva and Waldon Gibbs, nurtured his drive of competitiveness. Steve’s first exposure to archery in high school gym class did nothing to excite the teenager. It wasn’t until 1970, when he was an engineer at a Commonwealth Edison nuclear power plant in Rockford, Illinois, that he discovered his irrepressible enthusiasm for the sport. During the next decade, he STEVE GIBBS • 1948—2007 began competing nationwide on a professional level and enjoying ON NOVEMBER 18, 2007 the world of the solitude of bowhunting during archery lost one of its great pioneers, Steve Gibbs Fall months. All the while, he was taking existing of SURE-LOC® Archery Products. Surrounded archery equipment apart to its basic components by family and friends, including his wife Dianne and rebuilding arrow rests, sights, and bows to and daughter Stephanie West, he passed away enhance performance. at home in Holton, Indiana, after a valiant battle It was Steve’s self-professed perfectionism with cancer. Following the cancer diagnosis of that led him to invent a radically new angle-lock March 2007, Steve fought the disease with his mounting block and one piece detented extenusual tenacity—the perseverance which earned sion system in 1985 (or ‘86?). By 1988 he had him eight NFAA Championship bowls, an IBO completed and sold his first sight design to a World Champion title and allowed him to build a manufacturer. In 1992 the first SURE-LOC® sight world-renowned archery manufacturing business. debuted at the Olympic Games in Barcelona, He was the president of C.S. Gibbs Corporation, Spain, on the bow of U.S. Team member, Richard the parent company of SURE-LOC®, the premier “Butch” Johnson. That same year C.S. Gibbs Corsight and scope manufacturer. His innovations poration formed with Steve Gibbs as president. have revolutionized the bow sight market and his The following year he left his job at Commonpassion for the sport has enabled many archers wealth Edison and started selling his sights fullto achieve their personal goals. Steve’s spirit lives time. on across the globe in countless archers whom he Initial manufacturing headquarters were in 14 Archery Magazine December 2007 / January 2008
Steve and Dianne’s basement—with friends and family building sights on the pool table. Then the operation moved to the garage, complete with machining center and the company’s first employee. By 1995, Dianne had joined the growing business full-time and SURE-LOC® moved into an industrial park building in Beloit, Wisconsin. In 2000 Steve relocated the company to its present location in Versailles, Indiana. All the while, Steve continued to compete professionally, as well as attend archery trade shows and shoots, and he kept pursuing his dream of developing the perfect sights and archery accessories. In addition to his own National Championship titles and countless other shooting accolades, Steve’s sights have been awarded a patent for their revolutionary elevation/windage adjustment features and have won Inside Archery Best Buy Awards every year. Harnessing the expertise of other archery giants—Swarovski Optik® and Sims Vibration Laboratory—Steve and his company’s design team have successfully created the top-end SURE-LOC® Black Eagle scope. Over the years he also effectively turned his attention to detail towards the hunting market to create the precision Lethal Weapon® hunting sights; and his innovative X-Press bow press has revolutionized bow maintenance in shops everywhere. Steve’s award-winning SURE-LOC sights dominate at international, national and regional tournaments and can be seen on the bows of Olympic, NFAA, NAA, IBO, ASA and local champions worldwide. The entire men’s Olympic Gold winning team in Atlanta 1996 shot SURE-LOC® sights and individual medalists since then have preferred Steve’s innovative sights for their precision, dependability and durability. As a true champion of the future of archery, he always left time to mentor new talent. Often Steve could be seen at a shoot talking with a promising new archer, giving advice and adjusting equipment. Gibbs was a vocal supporter of the
National Archery in the Schools Program (NASP) and believed strongly in the physical and mental benefits of archery. His SURE-LOC® trailer was always handy at various IBO and ASA shoots, so his shooters had access to quick repairs and last-minute purchases. He was a member of the National Field Archery Association, International Bowhunting Organization, Archery Trade Association and the Archery Shooters Association. Steve also gave of his time for his hometown Lions club and was a member of the St. Paul Lutheran church of Olean, Indiana. Under the leadership of Steve’s wife, Dianne Gibbs—who has been handling daily operations of the company for many years now—SURELOC® will continue on its path of providing high quality archery and bowhunting equipment. The corporation will strive to stay true to the legacy of perfectionism and the promise of excellence that symbolizes Steve Gibbs.
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