Exhibit 99.1
WRAP Appoints Tom Smith as
Chief Executive Officer
New Governance Enhancements to Include the Future Appointment
of
Two New Independent Directors
TEMPE,
Ariz., March 8, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- WRAP Technologies, Inc.
(NASDAQ: WRAP) ("WRAP" or the “Company”), a global leader in innovative public safety
technologies and services, today announced that Tom Smith has been
appointed as the Company’s Chief Executive Officer. Mr. Smith
had been serving as WRAP’s interim Chief Executive since
October 27, 2020. He joined WRAP in March 2019 as the Company's
President and increased sales by 460% in 2020, selling WRAP’s
remote restraint public safety device to 36 countries to
date.
WRAP also announced that the Company plans to appoint two new
independent directors to the Board within 45 days.
Scot Cohen, WRAP’s co-founder and Executive Chairman,
commented: “With nearly 30 years serving law enforcement and
public safety, we feel Tom’s experience as an industry
veteran and proven leader position him for success in serving as
WRAP's Chief Executive Officer. As the co-founder and former
President and Chairman of TASER International, Tom has demonstrated
the ability to lead an organization through rapid
growth.”
“I am excited to continue leading this company and by the
opportunity this exceptional team has in front of them to make
lasting changes to public safety,” said CEO Tom Smith.
“We are a global company dedicated to improving safety in our
communities through de-escalation and the avoidance of excessive
use of force. In continuing to work closely with law enforcement
agencies and other stakeholders, I am optimistic that WRAP will
help create a new era of policing and crisis
response."
Today’s announcements stem from the Board’s discussions
and ongoing engagement with WRAP’s stockholders. This
includes significant support from Elwood “Woody” G.
Norris, who is also the Company’s co-founder and Chief
Technology Officer. The Company and Mr. Norris have reached an
agreement, which, among other things, sets forth the management
change and future appointment of two new independent directors to
the Board and includes customary standstill and voting provisions
that will be filed on a Form 8-K with the Securities and Exchange
Commission.
Mr. Norris added: “I look forward to seeing WRAP move forward
to meet its full potential. Tom is an energetic visionary
with a unique ability to lead and inspire rigorous growth, as
evidenced by the level of talent he’s been able to attract
since joining WRAP. Having worked with Tom since his appointment as
President in 2019, I have complete confidence in his ability to
lead WRAP while maintaining alignment
with our core mission of providing solutions that enable safer
outcomes for both police and the communities they
serve."
***
About Wrap Technologies
WRAP Technologies (Nasdaq: WRAP) is a global leader in innovating
public safety technologies and services that deliver advanced
solutions focused on avoiding escalation. The BolaWrap® Remote
Restraint device, WRAP’s first product, is a patented,
hand-held device that discharges a Kevlar® tether to
temporarily restrain from a safe distance. Through many field uses
and growing adoption by agencies across the globe, BolaWrap is
proving to be an effective tool to safely detain persons without
injury. WRAP Reality, the Company’s virtual reality training
system, is an immersive training simulator and comprehensive public
safety training platform designed to empower first responders with
the necessary knowledge to perform in the field. WRAP’s
headquarters are located in Tempe, Arizona. For more information,
please visit wrap.com.
Trademark Information
BolaWrap
and Wrap are trademarks of WRAP Technologies, Inc. All other trade
names used herein are either trademarks or registered trademarks of
the respective holders.
Cautionary Note on Forward-Looking Statements - Safe Harbor
Statement
This
press release contains “forward-looking statements”
within the meaning of the “safe harbor” provisions of
the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including but
not limited to: statements regarding the Company’s overall
business; total addressable market; and, expectations regarding
future sales and expenses. Words such as “expect”,
“anticipate”, “should”,
“believe”, “target”, “project”,
“goals”, “estimate”,
“potential”, “predict”, “may”,
“will”, “could”, “intend”, and
variations of these terms or the negative of these terms and
similar expressions are intended to identify these forward-looking
statements. Moreover, forward-looking statements are subject to a
number of risks and uncertainties, many of which involve factors or
circumstances that are beyond the Company’s control. The
Company’s actual results could differ materially from those
stated or implied in forward-looking statements due to a number of
factors, including but not limited to: the Company’s ability
to successful implement training programs for the use of its
products; the Company’s ability to manufacture and produce
product for its customers; the Company’s ability to develop
sales for its new product solution; the acceptance of existing and
future products; the availability of funding to continue to finance
operations; the complexity, expense and time associated with sales
to law enforcement and government entities; the lengthy evaluation
and sales cycle for the Company’s product solution; product
defects; litigation risks from alleged product-related injuries;
risks of government regulations; the business impact of health
crises or outbreaks of disease, such as epidemics or pandemics; the
ability to obtain export licenses for countries outside of the US;
the ability to obtain patents and defend IP against competitors;
the impact of competitive products and solutions; and the
Company’s ability to maintain and enhance its brand, as well
as other risk factors mentioned in the Company’s most recent
annual report on Form 10-K, quarterly report on Form 10-Q, and
other SEC filings. These forward-looking statements are made as of
the date of this press release and were based on current
expectations, estimates, forecasts and projections as well as the
beliefs and assumptions of management. Except as required by law,
the Company undertakes no duty or obligation to update any
forward-looking statements contained in this release as a result of
new information, future events or changes in its
expectations.
Contacts
For
Investors:
Wrap
Technologies, Inc.
Paul M.
Manley
VP
– Investor Relations
(612)
834-1804
pmanley@wrap.com
###