Certified Instructors

Shade’s Landing Inc. is certified via the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension as an organization that can certify individuals to teach the MCPPA (Minnesota Personal Protection Act). Our certified Instructors are listed below:

Our lead instructor is NRA certified in Pistol, Personal Protection, Range Safety Officer, rifle and shotgun disciplines, and a former Utah BCI approved instructor (2003 – 2014).

Our curriculum and company (Shade’s Landing Inc.) are approved by the Minnesota DPS recognized by the State of Florida and Arizona and several others. Our background in education, training/teaching, business and firearms is widely recognized, as is the quality of our curriculum.

We were the first to offer Utah permit training (multistate training) in Minnesota and we are the first to introduce an online course for the Minnesota permit course. We now also offer online carry classes for Minnesota, Iowa and Virginia residents and survival courses.

Gary Shade

  • Lead Instructor
  • Chief RSO/NRA Training Counselor
  • MN BCA/MN DNR Instructor
  • Former UT BCI Firearms Instructor & ND Test Administrator
  • NRA RSO/MN BCA/MN DNR Instructor/Gunsmith
    • Education:
      • AAS ET,(William Rainey Harper College)
      • BSM and MSM Cardinal Stritch University
    • NRA Certifications:
      • NRA Certified Training Counselor (36 hours)
      • NRA Certified Pistol, Personal Protection in the Home, and Rifle and Shotgun Instructor (over 60 hours)
      • NRA Certified Chief Range Safety Officer
      • NRA Certified Refuse to be a Victim instructor (16 hours)
      • Hunter Clinic Program Instructor: Deer (16 hours)
    • State Certifications/Recognition
      • Recognized by Minnesota DPS as an authorized Organization and Instructor
      • Certified Minnesota Firearms Safety
      • Minnesota Dept. of Natural Resources Certified Instructor
    • Utah BCI as an authorized Instructor (2003 – May 2014)
    • Former ND Carry Permit Test Administrator
  • Federal Firearm Licenses:
    • Curio and Relic
  • Carry Permits:
    • Minnesota
    • Florida
      (Have also held UT, NH, ND, and PA firearm permits)
  • Featured profile in May/June 2004 issue of Concealed Carry Magazine
  • Military
    • Former U.S.A.F.
  • President and Co-Owner of Shade’s Landing Inc. (since 1995)
  • Over 20 years of teaching in various positions in post secondary education and industry
  • Civil Rights Advocate
  • Amateur Radio Operator KC0LFP and Certified Skywarn Severe Weather Observer
  • Author of five published books on Computers and Technology
  • Educator
    • Former Adjunct Faculty: Business Management ~ Minnesota School of Business – Shakopee campus (3 years);
    • William Rainey Harper College, Palatine Il. EET Adjunct Instructor
  • Avid hunter, and fisherman
  • Diamond  Life Time Member – Front Sight

Jason Shade

  • Minnesota Certified Minnesota Firearms Safety and Advanced Carry Instructor
  • Recognized by the Minnesota Department of Public Safety for the Minnesota Carry Course
  • Producer, Director and Instructor of the DVD series:
    • Tactical Firepower Handgun System and Handgun Training System
  • Gunsmith – Pine Technical College (Degree 2007)
    • Emphasis in custom gun making
    • Certified Glock Armorer
  • Certified Minnesota Firearms Safety
  • Certified in Gracie Jujitsu Combatives 
  • Minnesota Dept. of Natural Resources Certified Instructor
  • NRA Certified Minnesota Range Safety Officer
  • Nra Certified  Pistol Instructor 
  • Minnesota Carry Permit holder
  • Avid hunter, trapper and fisherman
  • Diamond Life Time Member – Front Sight

MCPPA Instructors we have certified
Call them for their class schedules and pricing – Instructors must be on ACTIVE status or they can not teach MCPPA.

Mike Howe
Howe Safety & Defense, LLC
STATUS: ACTIVE
Owatonna MN
651-472-3256
info@howesafetydefense.com

www.HoweSafetyDefense.com

Course Offerings: Permit to carry, Lady’s Handgun, Basic Pistol, Tactical Firepower Defensive Handgun, USCCA Defensive Pistol, Private Lessons

Jason Olson
STATUS: ACTIVE
Farmington MN
952-261-6840
– Permit to carry
– Tactical Firepower Defensive Handgun

D’Juan Agnew
St.Paul MN
STATUS: NOT-ACTIVE as of 7-1-2022
Cell # 612-227-4112
djuanagnew@yaoo.com

Jim Becker
Status: ACTIVE
763-258-9557
Monticello  MN
jrbecker@tds.net

Kurt Benedetto
Farmington MN
Status: ACTIVE
612-209-7761
maui50@charter.net

Joel Charchenko
Stillwater MN
STATUS: ACTIVE
Home # 651-439-3672
Cell # 651-491-5473
jcchar@comcast.net

Col. Mark Dugger
White Bear Lake MN
STATUS: ACTIVE
612-414-6663
mark@mwschoolofdiving.com

Scott Frane
Elk RiverMN
STATUS: ACTIVE
612-702-6256
Sfrane1@gmail.com

Mark Gulbrandson
Lakeville MN
STATUS: NOT-ACTIVE as of 7-1-2022
MGulbrandson@appleautos.com

Ed Gawlik
Apple Valley MN
Status: ACTIVE
612-247-0874
DiamondEds@hotmail.com

Devin Haegeman
Fairmont MN
Status:Active
218-252-3859
dhaegeman92@gmail.com

Rodger Hull
STATUS: ACTIVE
Maquoketa IA
563-357-2440
rodgerhull@gmail.com

Edward Jose
Staples MN
STATUS: ACTIVE
218-371-2151
edwardjose1955@gmail.com

Brian Kane
LeSueur MN
Status: ACTIVE
612-708-0930
gunsmoketrail@live.com

Doug Kyllo
Zumbrota MN
Status: ACTIVE
507-990-8097
x_caliberfirearmstraining@yahoo.com

Max Loder
Dundas MN
STATUS: NOT-ACTIVE as of 7-1-2022
651-336-9564

Steven C. Lenhart
Apple Valley MN
STATUS: ACTIVE
952-423-2527
sclenhart4@msn.com

Mark McCallum
Morris MN
STATUS: ACTIVE
(763) 286-3763

Jayson Moore
STATUS: ACTIVE
Cocato MN
612-245-9362
Roccomoore@charter.net

Juan Moyers
STATUS: NOT-ACTIVE as of 7-1-2023
Apopka FL
407-949-7603
juanbmoyers@gmail.com

Sam Oftedahl
Coon Rapids MN
Status: NOT-ACTIVE as of 7-1-2022
763-898-2754
Sam.oftedahl@gmail.com

Bradley Obert
CenterMass of MN LLC
STATUS: Active
Richfield MN 55423
612-221-4652
bradobert@gmail.com

Matthew Owens
Truman MN
Status: ACTIVE 
Phone: 507-848-4386
mjowens98@hotmail.com

Benjamin Pena
Minneapolis MN
STATUS: ACTIVE
(612) 964-8114
68Wmedicbp@gmail.com

Franklin Pierce
Montevideo MN
STATUS: ACTIVE
320-288-9661
piercetactical@yahoo.com

Bob Rueff
Bloomington MN
STATUS: ACTIVE
952-831-5198
brueff97@gmail.com

Scott Schuett
STATUS: ACTIVE
Cannon Falls
651-308-0890
Scooter1296@gmail.com

Micheal Schultz
STATUS: ACTIVE
Trimont MN
507-236-5963
SchultzSCandC@gmail.com

Richard Shaver Jr.
STATUS: ACTIVE
Jordan MN
612-237-7048
rckshvr@gmail.com

Mark Stevens
Austin MN
STATUS: ACTIVE
(507) 421-8096
Mark@onthemarktraining.com

Doug Tuchtenhagen
Backus
Tuchtenhagen_Doug@Yahoo.com
STATUS: ACTIVE
(218) 779-4816

Rich Vang
Little Canada
Vang16@hotmail.com
STATUS:Active
651 795 1415

Ronsoie Xiong
rtxizz00@gmail.com
STATUS: ACTIVE
Maplewood MN
651-321-3044

Mark Pankratz
mtlakegunshop@gmail.com
STATUS: ACTIVE
Southwest, MN
507-380-5670

John Peterman
jpeterman@apptech.net
STATUS: ACTIVE
Twin Cities, MN
469-878-6060

Michael Utecht
mtutecht@frontiernet.net
STATUS: ACTIVE
Duluth, MN
218-390-9050