Tom Kaye Retires from Paintball, AGD Under New Management

[FreakBaller12]

This truely saddens me. I've learned so much on thse forums and learned the mag way here. Tom your the only guy that took the time to actually talk to his "groupie" on a regular basis. For that I thank you.

1. where is your marker and pb collection going to go, you easily have 10,000 worth of it.
2. Any hints on what AGD and the new owner will do next?
3. Will he come on Ao like you have?
4. Will agd's quality stay high

[nuclear zombie]

I suppose we should add Tom Kaye stepping down as President of Air Gun Designs to the list. Thanks for your contributions the the sport of paintball, you will be missed.

don't forget about Earron Carter retiring as well ,
Thank You TK , for providing an awesome product and an even better company backing it up , but most importantly thank you for loving the sport .


TK at D-Day -->

[AGDlover]

BTW to all when my e-mag gets sent out for anno it will be in Dedication to TK so if anybody has anything like slogens to anno or lazer ingrave into it IM me AGDlover04 or PM me

[Sockman]

The long journey ends.....

Well, it had to happen someday. Long ago(more like over 5 years ago), when I played my very first game, I first shot an Automag. Quite possibly the slickest gun I have ever shot/owned, my perception of paintball had forever changed. Now, years later as I read this, I glance down at my ULE RT-Pro--still in the box--, I wonder where, oh where will AGD go now? Hell, where will paintball as an industry go from here? Will AGD fail now that Tom is no longer CEO, or will it fight back to become the top name in paintball once again? I hope for the latter, for all these electronic guns have to have a legit competitor.
I myself, am also pondering my place in this hobby of mine, more of being a player than anything else....so I can somehow guess how Tom feels about this.

*Sigh*

Maybe it was just time to go, or perhaps the industry just got too cuckoo. Either way, Tom, SALUT!

[Major Ho]

4 More Years!!! 4 More Years!!!

[Kaiser Bob]

Talk about a doubletake... When I first saw this thread stickied, I first thought "What's up with this? It's not April 1st yet..." But its for real. Tom, it was a good time while it lasted. You gave birth to ideas that were the steering currents for the whole industry and to this day and for many more to come you have left your mark. Paintball has definitely changed in the past couple of years, AO is no exception. But regardless of what happens to paintball or AO in the future, you can definitely say you have had a positive effect on thousands of people, and quite a few on a personal level. That's not something many can say. Good luck in your future endeavors Tom, and I hope that you still at least pop in on AO and at some events from time to time.

[the123]

Tom, thank you for all the AWESOME times. And the future ones. I will continue to use AGD products for the length of my paintball career, however long that is. The stuff works so well, that it's hard NOT to have a great time every time out on the field.
Lets just hope Zupe doesn't blow the place up with one of his rockets. How about having him come to AO and posting as new CEO of AGD.
Brian

[gibby]

WoW!! Good luck Tom!! Thanks for everything you've done for us and the community!! I'm sure the next "spark" that you start will become a blazing fire! Can I buy stocks?

[TooDamnSweet]

Wow. I thought you'd be here forever. You're the one who got me into paintball! Thanks for all the advice and the fun! I'm sure it was a tough decision but I'm sure your next venture will be greater than this one. Take a vacation first though LOL

I guess my only chance to hang out with you will be at Shatnerball.

[i_baked_cookies]

i never thought one of the greatest men in paintball history would retire.

i wish u good luck TK!

[Jackel411]

HOLY Crap!

Good luck and god speed.. never saw this coming with the recent pres youve been getting

Hey at least I met you once at IAO at the industry party.. And to clarify things nah.. Im not the future of paintball , I quit the industry to I rather stick to my custom work I do and Ill be happy.. paintball is only a for of me getting beer money its far to politcal for me to care about it any more.

Good luck man

[Vanced]

Simply put...

Thanks for the last decade and a half then some...

You will never be replaced or forgotten...

[FireITup14]

Viva Tom!!!

[atm743]

you will and allways be the mag man!!!!!

goodluck for whatever comes up !!

[robdamanii]

Tom,

I know my contribution has been minimal here and the words may not mean much, but I have greatly admired everything you've contributed to this industry in the time you've been involved.

I still remember playing my first games back in the mid '90s, and hearing that the Automag was THE marker to own at the time. I remember not being able to afford it at the time, and it took me nearly 7 years to be able to afford a Mag. At that time, it was an x-valved, ULE, LX mag and it was amazing. That marker alone drew me out of low end guns forever, and forever cemented you and AGD as innovators parrelleled by very few.

I've seen, in my involvement in the past 4 years or so, Bud Orr begin to fade away, Bob Long begin to fade away, and now, the last of the great innovators of the sport, fade off into the sunset.

Tom, don't ever underestimate your contribution to the sport. You will NOT be forgotten for what you've done, and you will never show up at any event as a nobody. There will always be those of us who will remember you and what you've done for all of us, and we will always keep that alive and well in paintball's roots.

Godspeed Mr. Kaye. Good luck in your endeavors, and please, don't disappear into the sunset because you think you'll be forgotten. You've made paintball mean so much to all of us, come back occasionally, and let us show you what you mean to us. And don't forget your admirers here either.



And thanks for everything, Tom. As sincere as it can be over the internet, thanks.