SWB Smith & Wesson Holding Corp

SPRINGFIELD, Mass., Feb. 23 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Smith & Wesson Holding Corporation (AMEX:SWB), the legendary 154-year-old company in the global business of safety, security, protection and sport, today announced that it has entered into a revised employment agreement with its President and CEO, Michael F. Golden, securing his continued service for at least an additional three years. The prior agreement with Golden was due to expire in December 2006. Golden became President and CEO and a member of the Board of Directors of Smith & Wesson in December 2004 to reposition the Company as a global provider of products and services for the safety, security, protection and sport markets by delivering profitable growth in the core handgun business and diversifying into new markets with new products. Barry M. Monheit, Chairman of the Company's Board of Directors, commented, "Since his arrival in 2004, Mike has delivered on his commitment to grow our core handgun business, to diversify the Company and to lead the Company into new markets with new and existing products. He has developed a strategy for the organization and provided leadership for the successful execution of that strategy. As a result, the Company has won four military contracts in the past year, representing an unprecedented level of sales into a new market for Smith & Wesson. The Company has also begun to diversify and recently entered the market for long guns with the debut of a Smith & Wesson tactical rifle earlier this month. We believe these accomplishments, as well as others that Mike and his team will make in the future, will provide a basis for ongoing growth and diversification. We look forward to Mike's continuing leadership for another three years." Golden has over 30 years of experience in sales, marketing, operations and leadership in successful manufacturing companies, including Black & Decker, Kohler Co., and The Stanley Works. He received his Bachelor of Science in Marketing from Pennsylvania State University and his MBA from Emory University in Georgia. About Smith & Wesson Smith & Wesson Holding Corporation, through its subsidiary Smith & Wesson Corp., is one of the world's largest manufacturers of quality handguns, law enforcement products and firearm safety/security products. The Company also provides shooter protection, knives, apparel, footwear and other accessory lines. The Company is based in Springfield, Mass., with manufacturing facilities in Springfield and Houlton, Maine. The Smith & Wesson Academy is America's longest-running firearms training facility for America's public servants. For more information, call (800) 331-0852 or log on to http://www.smith-wesson.com/. Certain statements contained in this document may be deemed to be forward-looking statements under federal securities laws, and Smith & Wesson intends that such forward-looking statements be subject to the safe-harbor created thereby. Forward-looking statements include the Company's goals, strategies, growth and diversification. The Company cautions that these statements are qualified by important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those reflected by the forward-looking statements contained herein. Such factors include the demand for the Company's products; and the Company's growth opportunities; as well as other risks as identified from time to time in the Company's SEC reports, including Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, Current Reports on Form 8-K, and Annual Reports on Form 10-K. Liz Sharp, Vice President of Investor Relations (480) 949-9700 x.115 DATASOURCE: Smith & Wesson Holding Corporation CONTACT: Liz Sharp, Vice President of Investor Relations of Smith & Wesson Holding Corporation, +1-480-949-9700, ext. 115, Web site: http://www.smith-wesson.com/

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