Robert and Joyce Holmes are the owners of Whistling Pines Gun Club.
After a stint in the Navy, Bob earned an MBA and went to work in high tech sales. Although he was a highly successful hardware and software salesman for many years, he was “downsized” out of a job in 2003. According to an article in the May 26, 2005 Colorado Springs Gazette:
“I’ve always wanted to go out on my own and do something,” Holmes said, “so I started thinking, ‘What kind of business can I do with this MBA I’m trained to use?’ The gun club was logical to me, because this town so desperately needs a range.“ A five-day National Rifle Association seminar in Phoenix gave Holmes an eye-opening introduction to the dos and don’ts of indoor range management.
According to Bob, We could have cut costs by renting a warehouse somewhere and retrofitting it for use as a shooting range, but building it literally from the ground up let us do everything right. Only complete lead removal from the air is good enough. Joyce, I and our kids shoot here along with the rest of the members. Only total safety is safe enough.”
Joyce, an Army veteran, majored in accounting in college. She has managed both accounting and operations for several businesses.
Mike Cox is a Whistling Pines Gun Club partner.
Mike grew up in Albuquerque, New Mexico, where he graduated from the University of New Mexico with a BS in Civil Engineering in 1973. He was commissioned a Second Lieutenant in the United States Air Force, and was a distinguished graduate from Air Force Undergraduate Pilot Training. He left the service in 1980, and was hired by Delta Air Lines as a pilot, for which he flew passenger jets worldwide until his recent retirement.
Mike is an avid hunter who developed a deep respect for weapons when he worked as a salesman at a department store during college. He is an active Boy Scout Leader and lifetime member of the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation.
Kevin Klesser is an instructor and a manager at WPGC. He is a National Range Officers Institute Certified Range Officer, an NRA Life Member, and has been an active competitor in both United States Practical Shooting Association and the International Confederation of Revolver Enthusiasts matches since 2003. Kevin specializes in competition trigger work on Smith & Wesson revolvers. In addition to teaching the NRA First Steps course, he teaches Draw! Holster Work for Competition.
Josh Goodwin, one of the clubs gunsmiths, is a graduate of the gunsmithing program of the Colorado School of Trades in Lakewood. His experience includes refinishing, repair, and customizing rifles, shotguns, and pistols. He has earned armorer certifications from Beretta, Glock, Mossberg, Remington, and Sig Arms.
Patty Fowler is an avid Glock shooter and fan. Patty is a retired Deputy Sheriff from El Paso County with 28 1/2 years on duty and is now in an Administrative position.. She has tons of experience in self defense tactics and firearm handling under her belt . Patty is an excellent staff member to have on board and she will also be helping maintain our credo on safety as a range officer. She was an instructor for the Sheriff’s Office and is now an NRA certified instructor. Patty now handles all the ordering for the club.
Tony Brunetto is an instructor and valued staff member at the club. His 32 years’ experience in a wide range of military and civilian operations worldwide adds a unique perspective to the staff. He is a competitive NRA bull’s-eye shooter, as well as a competitor in USA Shooting standard, rapid fire, and air pistol events. He is an A level shooter, and won a gold medal in this year’s Colorado State Games competition. His other pursuits include skiing, weight training, and the martial arts.
Jack Vier – Jack is a recent addition to the team. He is a retired deputy sheriff and a retired Air Force Chief Master Sergeant. Jack has much experience in many aspects of shooting and is an NRA pistol instructor. For fun, Jack enjoys woodworking, hunting and fishing.
Tom “Hoser” Freeman started shooting competitively when he was 12 years old with a Winchester model 52 in Rim fire Silhouette. He’s currently is a member of the Air Force Action Pistol Shooting Team specializing in IDPA Stock Service Pistol and IPSC Production divisions.
Tom has been in the Air Force since 1988 as a C-130 crew member and parachute rigger. He regularly vacations in such scenic locations as Iraq, Afghanistan, Somalia, Sudan, Rwanda, Kosovo, Haiti, Columbia, Korea, and Utah. Tom is an Instructor in the C-130 firefighting mission, and heads the squadron’s Night Vision Training programs.
Tom is currently the statistics geek for the Pueblo IDPA and 3-Gun Matches, as well as Safety Director for Pueblo IPSC Matches. He manages to shoot Silhouette throughout the state and small-bore prone at the Olympic Training Center. He regularly competes in four to seven matches a month, and participates in a weekly Skeet and Sporting Clays league.
Dan Tippie – If you shoot on weekends, Dan is one of the staff that is there to assist you. Dan is a NRA Life Member and has been shooting for over 40 years. Dan holds the following certifications:
NRA Range Safety Officer
NRA Basic Pistol Instructor
NRA Metallic Cartridge Reloading Instructor
Sig Sauer Certified Armorer
If you need any help or have a question feel free to stop by and ask him.
Carol Klesser has been a United States Practical Shooting Association member for four years and holds a B Class USPSA certification in the Open Division. Her accomplishments include a High Lady win at 2007′s Colorado Steel Challenge match, and Colorado State Ladies’ Shoot Off Champion, also in 2007. She placed first in the Eastern Colorado Section’s Open C Division for the Nationals qualifier series. Carol competes on the Ladies’ Super Squad each year at the USPSA Open Division Nationals and serves as a Range Officer at the USPSA Limited Nationals competition. She is an NRA Basic Pistol Instructor, and teaches Basic Pistol Handling, Ladies Basic Pistol courses, Junior Basic Pistol courses, and Concealed Carry. She is also an International Pistol Shooting Confederation Certified Range Officer. Her favorite class to instruct is “Girls’ Night Out”, where women follow the NRA’s Basic Pistol course, but with a female spin. “We discuss certain tactics that I wish I knew when I first started shooting.” Contact Carol via email to schedule a class or private shooting session.