Jeffrey Perlmutter

Jeffrey Perlmutter (also known as Jeff Perlmutter) is an American paintball businessman and former tournament player. He co-founded Pursuit Marketing Inc. (PMI) with David Freeman in 1982 and served as its president until the company's sale in 2005.[1][2]

Perlmutter was involved in the early commercial development of paintball through equipment distribution, the introduction of purpose-made paintballs, tournament sponsorship and support for independent paintball field operators.

Paintball career

Early involvement

Perlmutter first played paintball in approximately early 1982 at a National Survival Game (NSG) field in Marengo, Illinois, alongside David Freeman.[1]

Recognising a business opportunity, Perlmutter travelled to New Hampshire to meet Bob Gurnsey and Gerard Jaggard of National Survival Game to discuss purchasing franchise rights for the Chicago area.

According to Perlmutter's recollections, an initial agreement was reached but subsequently changed when NSG divided the proposed territory into multiple franchise areas. Perlmutter and Freeman decided to establish an independent business rather than purchase the revised franchise rights.[1]

Pursuit Marketing Inc.

Perlmutter and Freeman established Pursuit Marketing Inc. in 1982. The company was formally incorporated in Illinois in December 1983.[1]

The partners divided their responsibilities, with Perlmutter concentrating on marketing, branding and sales, while Freeman focused on manufacturing, distribution and sales.

Unlike the National Survival Game franchise model, PMI supplied equipment and consumables directly to independent paintball field operators without requiring exclusive territories or franchise agreements.

Working with the Benjamin Sheridan Air Rifle Company in Racine, Wisconsin, the partners arranged the development of the PG paintball pistol, which subsequently evolved into the PMI PGP pump-action marker.[1]

Perlmutter also helped establish PMI's relationship with pharmaceutical encapsulation manufacturer R. P. Scherer, which produced water-soluble .68-calibre paintballs under the PMI Premium brand. These provided an alternative to the oil-based paintballs used in the sport's earliest years.

He additionally negotiated an arrangement to distribute Uvex protective eyewear for paintball use.[1]

PMI expanded its product range and distribution operations throughout the 1980s and 1990s, becoming a supplier of equipment and consumables to paintball fields, retailers and tournament organisers.

Tournament sponsorship

Perlmutter was involved in PMI's sponsorship of competitive paintball during the 1980s and 1990s.

PMI partnered with Paul Fogal of Skirmish USA in Pennsylvania to support the North American Championship Tournament and Trade Show, which began in 1986.[1]

During the late 1980s and early 1990s, PMI and R. P. Scherer sponsored the tournament series organised by Jim Lively and Sam Caldwell. The companies' names appeared in the series branding during 1991 and 1992.

Perlmutter attended sponsored tournaments and participated in presenting prize money to winning teams. At the 1992 Lively Masters, he presented the first-place prize of US$15,000.[1]

PMI also sponsored several established tournament teams, including Aftershock, Lords of Discipline, Sudden Death and the PMI Piranhas.

Perlmutter was himself a tournament player, competing with the PMI Piranhas during the late 1980s. Contemporary photographs also document his presence with the Lords of Discipline.[1]

Sale of PMI

Perlmutter remained president of PMI during its expansion into a major international paintball equipment distributor.

According to his recollections recorded by paintball historian Daniel Bacci, PMI sold approximately five billion paintballs in one year during the early 2000s and reached annual gross revenue of approximately US$85 million.[1]

Perlmutter reported that PMI was sold to a New York-based private equity firm in 2005, after which he retired from the paintball industry.[1]

PMI was subsequently combined with National Paintball Supply. The successor company announced its new name, Kee Action Sports, in January 2007.[3]

Historical documentation

During the second half of 2022, Perlmutter participated in a series of interviews with Daniel Bacci concerning the history of PMI and the development of commercial paintball.

The interviews formed the basis of an extensive article published on Paintball History on 31 January 2023.[1]

Perlmutter also provided information and historical material from his personal collection, including photographs, prototype markers, advertisements and early production equipment.

Parts of his collection were subsequently offered for sale through Bacci Paintball, including early Sheridan-manufactured PMI markers and rare tournament equipment.[4]

References

Pioneering the Sport of Paintball: The History of PMI. Paintball History, Daniel Bacci, 31 January 2023. Based on interviews with Jeffrey Perlmutter conducted during 2022.
History of Paintball. Automags.org, 2004. Historical account covering the development of PMI and its involvement in competitive paintball.
Kee Action Sports: New Corporate Name for AJ Intermediate Holdings. WARPIG, company press release dated 18 January 2007, published 22 January 2007.
Pursuit Marketing Inc. Equipment Collection. Bacci Paintball. Historical PMI equipment and examples from Jeffrey Perlmutter's collection.

External links