Tom Kaye Retires from Paintball, AGD Under New Management

[sandreaver]

Tom,

I am relatively new to the sport, and was turned on to Automags by members of Southwest Voodoo and now shoot an x-mag. For the past 2 years I have been hearing stories from the likes of Crash from Bad Karma, and Preacher from Evil inc about you and AGD, and have to say that I am sorry to see you go.

Like Bunkerhugger and Caffiend, I am planning on attending this years Shatnerball. I hope that you will be there so that I may have the chance to meet one of the builders of a sport I have come to enjoy so much.

I wish you the best in your future, and hope that AGD will remain the foundation of paintball that it has been in the past.

Ed Adams

[skipdogg]

sad day for myself, my teammates, and paintball

wow, this makes me sick to my stomach. I dont even know what to say. As most others have said, it is Tom that brought them into or kept them in paintball. I started playing in 1989, and bought a mag in 1991. Shortly after I played along side Tom at a tournament scrimmage at Fox River Games again Swarm. during one of the games he told a teammate of mine to "hit his gun into a tree" because it was freezing up on him. That was during the game! it is one of the funniest/best/earliest memories of Tom. I have been loyal to AGD for what seems like all my life. They are the ONLY company i completely trust, not only for paintball, but anything! It is truely rare to have a quality, classy company like AGD to purchase products from. Tom has also single handedly changed many aspects of paintball and the game forever. He was and is an innovator and a class act. Tom, i wish you the best for you and your family. I have felt like I was part of it all these years and I thank you! Things just won't be the same without you. You are truly a great person that has touched many lives. Long live AGD and Tom's legacy.

Scott Seefeldt

[Severe]

Best of luck Tom and thank you for making the marker that has served me well for years! I'm sure it, as well as AGD, will continue in that tradition.

[FixMyAngel.Com]

Times are changing and the industry will surely suffer without Tom. I have known tom for many moon's and played along side him in several big games (he is the guy that taught me everything about the automag). I would like to thank you Tom and AGD for all the support in the past. Also, JoAnn will be missed, I have been working with her since she started with AGD. Good luck to both of you.

Robert Moon
CA Landsharks
Predator Paintball

[Temo Vryce]

Tom, even though I have never had the chance to meet you I will miss your presence in the Paintball World. I'm sorry to see that you are leaving but I respect your choice and wish you the best in where ever life takes you.

[BradAGD]

Tom told me about this over the weekend and I'm still in shock.

I joined up with AGD in '93 after taking their tech class for my old team, The Houston Heat. I must have impressed them enough to get to go to all the tournaments as a tech. 11 years later, I'm still going and call everyone at the factory my friends. Because of Tom and AGD, I'm met folks from all over the world, been to tons of cool places and done some amazing things. His inovations have brought the sport up to a point that it never would have been at without them. He is truely one of the good guys in the sport.

With the poor sales industry wide, I see more of this happening every day. Sad to say honestly.

Tom, good luck in everything you do. Enjoy life. Party like it's 1979 (where disco still rules). Find lots of bones. Fix your goose chaser ('cause I wanna see it). Have fun.

Good bye my friend!

[ICOM]

Well tom think i might have met you once in my life but i guess i should of knew this was coming. AGD/AO has gotten me into paintball. I met so many people from this company and forum. It was fun and it will still be! Your still the President of agd in our hearts and hope to see ya at a big event throughout the years! goodluck to you tom!

[markoger]

Well, i never saw this comining either. I am honored to have met, and played paintball next to you at Shatnerball. you have changed the way i play paintball(no more need for a barrel swab). And answering the question " a mech can shoot that fast?" You will be very missed. Almost our entire team uses Automags. and i personally own 5(including an X Mag). Good luck in whatever you are going to do. I hope you will still come to some of the events. Even though you won't be working for AGD, you are still the guy who made it what it is today, and we will ALWAYS remember that!.

Sorry to see you go,
Marco

[temps]

[JimInVA]

Tom,

I had the honor of making your acquaintance at the IAOand had the privilege of seeing you dance to "YMCA". I even had the joy of winning the last of the Tac One markers you so generously provided for the prize package. My greatest memory, however, includes my son...

Word had filtered through Karen that you were out of Diet Pepsi. My son said, "I'll take care of it!" and jumped into the car. Electricity was out at the time and he had to travel through multiple communities before he was able to find an open store. Returning, he took his own ice chest, now filled with ice and drinks, and sent it your way... anonymously. You didn't know who he was when you so kindly offered your time during an evening workshop so he didn't feel it was necessary that you know who provided your Pepsi. IT WAS THE ACT, NOT THE ACKNOWLEDGEMENT that was important to my son.

Your involvement in our industry has been much the same. I would suggest that much of the respect that has been accorded you is due to your determination towards positive action without the constraint of the ego's need for self-proclaimed acknowlegment. You have been the proud and stalwart knight who now finds himself entering a new age - one influenced by dollars rather than integrity and where deceipt rules over truth. You cannot be faulted for desiring to exit while your character and reputation remain unblemished and intact. But you will be missed.

Good luck in your future endeavors, Mr. Tom Kaye. Remain true to yourself and you will find happiness.

Jim Bird

[Bubonic Plauge]

Thank you Tom. The Automag 68 was the FIRST marker that made my jaw drop, I HAD to have it. Been sinking pennies ever since.

Any chance you will develop products for AGD from an R&R standpoint now and then? If you dont help this sport is going to move into the "Dark Ages" of paintball.


Craig

[BlackHalo]

Tk

Thanks for all your contribuitions to the sport, and I wish you happiness in whatever you choose to do next.

I still have my first mag that's over 12 years old, and It'll still be in running condition while all those upstarts have broken and been tossed aside.

-Raf

[Woody]

Thanks for playing your last game at TFT!

We were glad to have you at Regulators Outpost in Dalton Ga.
I enjoyed playing against you and securing a win for my side against one of the greatest names in paintball.
Best wishes to you in your new endevors.
I hope to see you again in the middle.


Doug "WOODY" Thompson
Team Half~Cocked



You're hit guys!

[Krysys]

well.

*Speechless.... for once*

[Robotech]

Even if you don't own a AGD product there is no way you haven't been touched by the things this man has done.

Tom, we'll miss you. We understand, but know that doesn't mean we won't wish you were here.