Our Story

The evolution of TenPoint Crossbow Technologies began with the upbringing of Rick Bednar. Rick’s association with archery and the archery industry goes back to his youth when his parents, Archery Hall of Famer, Bill Bednar, and his wife, Edith, founded Portage Archery Center in Suffield, OH.  Rick and his sisters, Cindy and Joanna, who work for TenPoint as well, grew up in an apartment adjoining the pro shop building.  That shop still operates today as Hunter’s Outlet Archery Center, a Division of TenPoint Crossbow Technologies.

As he grew up immersed in the family’s business, his father, Bill, also coached him as an elite tournament archer.  Competing at the highest collegiate, national, and international levels, he traveled the world as a member of the USA Pan Am, World Target and World Field Archery teams; qualified for the 1976 Olympic Team; and won the NCAA Championship three-times at The University of Akron.  Both his retail and competition background nurtured a strong interest in and appreciation for bow design, performance, and engineering.

Following graduation in 1979, he went to work for specialty retailer, Cole National Corporation, as its Director of New Store Expansion.  Within two years, however, he knew his true interest centered on becoming his own boss.  He purchased the family business in 1981.  By 1983, he had added a wholesale distribution component to the retail operation called PAC Distributing. 

Two years later, the distributorship caught the attention of a group of British entrepreneurs who convinced Rick to form an Ohio-based national sales and marketing organization to import and sell a line of crossbows – a market in its infancy – designed by British custom gun maker, Bernard Horton.  Within one year, it became clear that Horton’s British operation could not produce and ship product fast enough to fill the orders Rick had written.  Realizing the crossbow business had great long-term potential, he convinced Horton to move the manufacturing to Suffield, Ohio, where sourcing component parts was a comparative breeze.

In 1985, Rick led the effort to recapitalize the new operation and incorporate it as Horton Crossbow Manufacturing Company, Inc.  In six short years as COO, he grew the company from zero to a thriving $4.5 million company, employing nearly 30 people. By 1990, Stark County recognized his success by awarding him their New Entrepreneur of the Year Award.

Rick decided to leave Horton to start a new crossbow company – Hunter’s Manufacturing.  His vision for Hunter’s was significantly different than Horton’s vision.  Rick wanted to focus on building the highest quality hunting crossbows in the world rather than the highest quantity.  He sat out a non-compete covenant during the following year.

On January 4, 1994, he and a small group of additional investors formed Hunter’s Manufacturing Company, Inc. The difference between launching Horton in 1985 and Hunter’s Manufacturing in 1994, however, was monumental.   Horton had the advantage of beginning its operations in an emerging market with no significant competition.  Hunter’s started while the market was still in its infancy, but Horton had already established a foothold as the industry leader. 

As soon as Hunter’s Manufacturing launched in 1994, Horton employed a strategy to block its progress at every turn, including filing a lawsuit which put a squeeze on Hunter’s Manufacturing’s operating capital.  Hunter’s Manufacturing eventually reached an out-of-court settlement with Horton by the end of 1998.  The settlement awarded no financial compensation to Horton, but Hunter’s did agree to change its trade name to TenPoint Crossbow Technologies beginning at the start of year 2000.

Rick chose the name “TenPoint” out of a desire to more clearly separate the company from its competitors and because the word “ten” suggests perfection, like in the phrase, “a perfect 10,” which is a complement to the original Hunter’s Manufacturing Company slogan, “the mark of perfection.”

Even though the five years leading up to 2000 were difficult, the company, nevertheless, survived, managing double-digit growth each year.  With the lawsuit no longer a distraction, the marketplace started to recognize TenPoint’s engineering and performance superiority.   In addition, the fledgling crossbow market began expanding at a slow but unmistakable pace.

In 2003, a couple of southeastern states eliminated crossbow restrictions during their archery seasons.  Since then, what was a five-state market began to evolve – in domino fashion – into what is now an explosive and rapidly growing 28-state, full-inclusion-archery-season market.  In most of these states, TenPoint was at the forefront in advocating for the legalization and full-inclusion of crossbows as viable hunting weapons by working to educate hunters, state agency decision makers, and politicians. 

Crossbow legislation continued to expand with states such as Wisconsin, Michigan, Missouri, New York and Kentucky getting full crossbow hunting seasons.  The expanded opportunities have helped crossbows grow tremendously popular as a hunting weapon, and crossbows have allowed many additional hunters to get in the woods.  Thanks to TenPoint’s cutting-edge crank-style cocking devices like the ACUdraw, ACUdraw PRO, and ACUslide Safe Cocking and De-Cocking System that reduce bowstring draw weights by up to 95%, hunters who have physical limitations or disabilities can still participate in archery hunting.

While favorable state regulations created a welcome pathway to success between 2003 and 2020 for crossbow manufacturers, few companies were able to navigate that path as well as TenPoint.  Under Rick’s direction, the company has grown from under 20 employees to 100 during during this time span.

TenPoint is a charter member of the North American Crossbow Federation and continues to this day to advocate for full-inclusion of crossbows in archery hunting seasons in states around the country.

Click HERE for a map detailing current crossbow regulations throughout the United States.  

In 2008, Rick’s oldest son, Phil, joined TenPoint as a Marketing Assistant after graduating with an MBA from the University of Akron. Over the years, Phil rose through the ranks in marketing and sales — but one of his most significant contributions to the company was the creation of an entirely new brand from the ground up.

Wicked Ridge Crossbows was introduced in 2010 as a value-priced addition to the TenPoint family. Phil was involved in every aspect of building the brand — from the name, bow names, and pricing, to camo selection, packaging, advertising, and catalogs. He recognized a significant opportunity in the entry-level market and knew that TenPoint’s reputation for quality and its strong retailer relationships would give Wicked Ridge an immediate competitive edge.

• Built in America — Unlike the mass-produced imports that dominate the affordable crossbow market, every Wicked Ridge crossbow is American-built, held to the same manufacturing standards that have defined TenPoint for over 30 years
• Gordon Glass Limbs — We use premium Gordon Glass limbs for superior durability and greater accuracy — a level of quality you simply won’t find in an import at this price point
• Unmatched Value — Six models ranging from $499.99–$1,099.99, each delivering the dependability, accuracy, and craftsmanship our customers expect from the TenPoint family

Wicked Ridge has grown into an independently successful hunting crossbow brand and the leading affordable crossbow brand in America — proof that you don’t have to sacrifice quality for value.

In the 1980s, Rick Bednar helped found Horton Archery — one of the original crossbow companies in the industry. When Horton Archery LLC closed its doors and filed for bankruptcy in April 2013, Rick saw an opportunity. On July 8, 2013, he announced the successful purchase of Horton’s key assets, including machinery, equipment, trademarks, patents, and — most importantly — a licensing agreement with Scorpyd Crossbows to design and produce reverse-draw style hunting crossbows.

Horton was re-launched in 2015 as Horton Crossbow Innovations, with a focused mission around reverse-draw technology. Innovative American-Made models like the Storm RDX and Vortec RDX followed, and the reverse-draw platform proved to be a game-changer — ultimately influencing some of TenPoint’s most celebrated models, including the Nitro XRT and Vapor RS470.

That reverse-draw expertise became so deeply woven into TenPoint’s DNA that we made the strategic decision to consolidate our energy entirely into the TenPoint and Wicked Ridge brands — channeling every resource, innovation, and ounce of passion into the two brands our customers know and trust. It was the right move, and the results speak for themselves.

In 1994, Rick Bednar and his father Bill Bednar — an Archery Hall of Fame recipient — founded TenPoint Crossbows. From day one, we’ve

 been family-owned and operated, guided by three core principles: family-owned, Made in America, and hunter-focused. In October 2022, Rick proudly announced the third generation of Bednars stepping into leadership roles:

• Phil Bednar, President & CEO — After earning his MBA from the University of Akron, Phil joined TenPoint as a Marketing Assistant and rose through multiple roles in marketing, sales, and product development. He is the conceptual leader behind bringing new products to market, and was the driving force behind the launch and growth of our Wicked Ridge brand in 2010 — built from the ground up into an independently successful crossbow brand.
• Steve Bednar, Executive Vice President & COO — Steve joined TenPoint after graduating from Ashland University in 2013 with a degree in Supply Chain Management. A Certified Six Sigma Black Belt, he oversees our entire production process, integrating technology to improve efficiency and reduce errors — growing our crossbow production per person by an astounding 20%.

Rick Bednar continues to serve as Executive Chairman, focusing his energy on engineering alongside Director of Engineering Mike Shaffer. Together, they lead our engineering team with one objective: bringing tomorrow’s crossbows to life.

Phil and Steve are brothers, best friends, and business partners — and their leadership marks an exciting new chapter built on the same foundation their grandfather and father established over 30 years ago. The bond between fathers and sons has always been at the heart of who we are, and that will never change.

Phil leads our New Product Development Team with a clear philosophy: “I am one of the conceptual leaders for new products, and I try to identify holes in the market where we can develop a new product to grow sales and gain market share. We rely on consumer, dealer, and sales representative feedback to shape our improvements.”

The best ideas for product development come directly from our customers. We believe the folks who use our crossbows are in the best position to drive our technological push forward. Our ACUslide Safe Cocking & De-Cocking System, for example, was born from years of customer requests for a safe, silent system that could be cocked and de-cocked with ease — and the response was unprecedented. That same customer-first approach led to the development of our:

• Twin-Riser Series — Engineered to reduce riser flex by 70%, delivering a stiffer, lighter platform for greater down-range accuracy
• ACU-X Nock — Designed to eliminate lateral nock travel during the shot cycle, with an audible click confirmation and extended string serving life
• Ultra Series — Our most ambitious undertaking yet, combining Zero-Torsion Technology, Premium String Construction, and spine-indexed ACU-X Arrows to deliver 70% tighter groups at 100-yards

We recognize that our greatest strength has always been our undying commitment to continuous innovation. Year after year, decade after decade, we have discovered new ways to push the boundaries of crossbow technology. According to Phil, the future of TenPoint lies in “continued innovation to push the envelope in crossbow technology. We want to make the user experience better each year. Our goal is to keep innovating and getting better each year.”

That commitment is backed by real investment. Over the past several years, we have invested millions of dollars into our Engineering, Research, and Design Center — building a team led by Director of Engineering Mike Shaffer, and equipping it with 3-D printing and CNC machining capabilities to design, prototype, and test future products entirely in-house. When we bring a new crossbow to market, you can be confident it is one of the most accurate, precisely-made, and durable hunting crossbows available anywhere in the world.

Phil leads our New Product Development Team with a clear philosophy: “I am one of the conceptual leaders for new products, and I try to identify holes in the market where we can develop a new product to grow sales and gain market share. We rely on consumer, dealer, and sales representative feedback to shape our improvements.”

The best ideas come directly from our customers. Our ACUslide Safe Cocking & De-Cocking System, for example, was born from years of customer requests for a safe, silent system that could be cocked and de-cocked with ease — and the response was unprecedented. That commitment to listening drives everything we build. With exciting new advancements already in the testing stages, Phil says it best: “Our goal is to keep innovating and getting better each year.”

Backing that vision is serious investment. We’ve poured millions of dollars into our Engineering, Research, and Design Center — led by Director of Engineering Mike Shaffer and equipped with 3-D printing and CNC machining capabilities to design, prototype, and test entirely in-house.

On the production side, Steve Bednar has been equally relentless. “My main goal is to create a production line that is error-proof,” Steve explains, achieved through visual inspection technology and full parts traceability back to the original manufacturer. A redesigned assembly line has increased crossbow production per person by 15–20%, and our four production lines now include two dedicated test-firing ranges where every new crossbow is fired for accuracy and run through a chronograph to verify performance.

Every new crossbow receives a birth certificate documenting these results — included in the box so our customers know exactly what they’re getting. In the future, this verification process will extend to every TenPoint and Wicked Ridge crossbow we build. Because when your goal is to get better every single year, you make sure every detail — from the first sketch to the final shot — reflects that promise.

Under Rick’s direction, TenPoint secured its first patents in 1995 for a bow-to-barrel sound dampening system called the VibraCush and a dry-fire prevention mechanism called the Dry-Fire-Inhibitor.  Shortly after the initial patents, the ACUdraw, a ground-breaking gear assisted cocking device, received it’s first of many patents in 1996.  TenPoint has improved upon the original ACUdraw design to produce the ACUdraw PRO cocking device and the ACUslide Safe Cocking and De-Cocking System.

Since then, the company has secured over 100 patents with several more patents currently pending.  No other company in the industry has a record of technological achievement that can compare. 

In 2004, the Cleveland District of the U.S. Small Business Administration named Rick as its Small Business Person of the Year.  In the same year, TenPoint received its first Cascade Capital Business Growth Award, a tri-county growth award it has received every year but one since then.  In 2014, Rick received the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award for the Northeast Ohio Region for excellence in the Innovation &Technology Products and Services category.

Click HERE for a detailed list of our patents.