At Buffalo Armory, we transform mild, low alloy carbon steel into a high strength steel that make it ideal for better body and protection armor. Our transformational induction heat and quench technology creates a significant opportunity for:

• A unique and different way to make armor

• Significant cost savings to the buyer

These considerations make our Star Armor an emerging premiere armor solution to give troops and first responders the protection they deserve.

Buffalo Armory:

• Is a Certified Small Business

• Is a DOD Prime approved supplier

• Has DLA QSL Bulk Metal Supplier certification

• Is ITAR compliant

• Produces qualified ARL MIL-DTL-46100E FAT for dual-certified High Hard and NIJ3 armor

• Is certified NIJ 0101.06 Level 3 with and without spall protection

• Exceeds NIJ3, NIJ4, STANAG 1A, 1B, and 1C

• Has 15 granted patents

STAFF

Major General John Batiste, USA (Ret)
President and CEO
jbatiste@buffaloarmory.com

John Batiste is a 1974 graduate of the United States Military Academy. He served 31 years in the US Army as an infantry officer with major deployments in the First Gulf War, Bosnia, Kosovo, and Iraq in 2004. His final position as a US Army Major General was Commanding General of the 1st Infantry Division, the "Big Red One", during combat operations in Iraq.

He transitioned to the steel industry in late 2005 and first served as president of Klein Steel until 2013. During this period, Klein Steel was recognized as one of ten IndustryWeek Best Plants in North America and a New York State Best Place to Work. His passion to find a better way to produce armor opened the opportunity at Buffalo Armory. Since 2013, the company has 15 granted patents on its unique induction technology and is recognized for its ballistic solutions in the markets of body armor, police car door armor, and ballistic barriers for schools, places of worship, and offices.

John has served on non-profit boards in support of Veterans, on the Advisory Board of Johns Hopkins University Carey Business School, and as an Executive Committee member of the Raffles Insurance Captive and Metals Service Center Institute.

Willie Portnoy
VP, Sales and Marketing
803-347-3100 (cell)
wportnoy@buffaloarmory.com

For thirty-five years Willie has been recognized as an industry leader in the semi-fabricated ferrous and non-ferrous mill production, trading, and distribution marketplaces.  He has specialized in the aerospace and defense markets, and developed an expertise in government contracting, both with the U.S. Department of Defense and other prime U.S. government contractors.  

Prior to joining Buffalo Armory, Willie founded and was CEO / President of Alson Commodities, founded and was CEO / President of Charleston Aluminum, and he held senior / executive sales positions with Empire Resources, JW Aluminum, Hadco Aluminum, and Ryerson.

Willie graduated in 1983 from Kenyon College with a bachelor of arts degree majoring in political science.

Maurice Cooper
Operations Manager
mcooper@buffaloarmory.com

Maurice Cooper is the Operations Manager for Buffalo Armory. He graduated from Canisius College in 2011 and commissioned into the Army.  Maurice served nine years as an active duty Army Logistics Officer with a focus on maintenance and transportation. He served on a combat deployment to Afghanistan, a non-combat tour in South Korea, and currently serves in the Army Reserves.  

Maurice joined the Buffalo Armory team in January 2020. He is a certified Project Management Professional (PMP), Lean Six Sigma Black Belt, and is pursuing a Master’s of Business Administration from Canisius College.