ST. LOUIS, Mo. (Dec. 22, 2025) – FS Holdings, the parent organization for FirstSpear®, FirstSpear Technology Group®, Atlas 46®, and Black Crest®, today announced the appointment of Lynn Twiss as Vice President of Marketing. In this dual-role capacity, Twiss will drive overarching leadership and brand strategy for the FS Holdings family of brands while maintaining direct leadership as Vice President of Marketing for the flagship brand, FirstSpear.
This strategic appointment marks a significant milestone in the organization’s growth and is aligned with the holding group’s core ethos: “Protect, Serve, and Build.”
Twiss brings over three decades of marketing leadership experience in the firearms, military, and outdoor industries. As the founder of GUNLAND LLC, he has served as a strategic architect for some of the most recognized brands in the space. His career includes pivotal roles such as helping rebuild Kimber from early bankruptcy into a premier firearms manufacturing brand, and key leadership positions at Leupold & Stevens and SIG SAUER Electro-Optics, where he oversaw the marketing launch of the BDX (Ballistic Data Xchange) system and supported critical military contract wins.
His arrival signals a decisive move to better align the commercial, industrial, and defense verticals of the company and focus them on coherent, long-term growth.
“As we continue to reinforce our existing footprint across ground, maritime, aviation and industrial domains, it is critical that our voice is as powerful and precise as our technology,” said Scott Carver, CEO of FS Holdings. “Lynn has spent the last year and a half embedded with our teams as a mentor and advisor, so this move into a full-time executive role is a natural fit. He combines an understanding of the defense sector with the ability to build demand for our lifestyle and industrial brands. He understands that while FirstSpear is ‘Built for The X™,’ the broader mission of the group is to ‘Protect, Serve, and Build’ across every aspect of our customers’ lives.”
“FirstSpear is built on a foundation of uncompromising quality and innovation. That same seriousness runs through the broader FS Holdings portfolio, even though it shows up in very different forms,” said Lynn Twiss. “An operator stepping off with FirstSpear kit, an MRO tradesman starting a shift in Atlas 46, or someone choosing Black Crest for their day-to-day are all facing different kinds of stakes, but they share the same expectation that when the moment turns critical, the gear will not be the point of failure.
For most of my career I have worked beside product and design teams that obsess over details a customer may never notice directly, but will always feel. That is the discipline I want to support here. My focus is to help each brand push further in its own lane, to keep earning trust through performance, and to let the work speak first. If we do that well, the stories will follow.”
In this role, Twiss will oversee global marketing operations, brand architecture, and digital transformation across the portfolio. He will be responsible for articulating the distinct identities of the sub-brands while leveraging their shared technologies and values to drive cross-market growth.
About FS Holdings
FS Holdings is a U.S.-based portfolio company focused on equipping professionals across military, law enforcement, industrial, and lifestyle markets. Through its brands FirstSpear, FirstSpear Technology Group, Atlas 46, and Black Crest, the group applies technical innovation, advanced materials, and design expertise to create products that “Protect, Serve, and Build.”
About FirstSpear
Founded in 2010, FirstSpear® equips elite military and law enforcement professionals with uncompromising equipment for those bound for “The X.” Guided by its “Built for The X™” ethos, FirstSpear produces lightweight, mission-focused equipment engineered for the most demanding operational environments.
About Atlas 46
Founded in 2013, Atlas 46 manufactures premium, USA Made gear for tradespeople, MRO professionals, and mechanics. With modular innovation and industrial-grade craftsmanship, Atlas 46 delivers high-performance solutions built to meet professional standards.
About Black Crest
Black Crest is a men’s athleisure brand combining design sensibility with everyday comfort and style. The brand offers technical performance apparel for life beyond the mission, designed in the United States and manufactured to exacting standards internationally.
