SNOWMOBILE – Changes in Polaris, Arctic Cat Snow Divisions
Major managerment shifts within Polaris Industries Inc., Medina, Minn., could spell changes for the way the company operates its snowmobile division.
Effective Nov. 2, Eric Lindquist, Polaris’ director of consumer sales, will take over as the general manager of the Polaris Snowmobile Division. Bob Nygaard, who previously held this position, is now the director, sales operations and dealer support.
Steve Menneto, director of dealer development, will replace Lindquist as director of consumer sales. Menneto’s replacement has not yet been named.
“These moves make an already strong leadership team even better,” Polaris President and CEO Tom Tiller said in a statement. “We remain dedicated to building superior products for our dealers and customers. That starts with having the right people in place to help make Polaris the best powersports company in the world and a dominant global brand.”
Both Mennto and Lindquist joined Polaris in 2002. Nygaard has worked for Polaris for 25 years.
Lindquist has had a rapid rise within Polaris; he started two years ago in Parts, Garments and Accessory sales, and soon moved to a national sales position for all product lines.
In his new role, Lindquist will oversee the product development, engineering and marketing of snowmobiles, Polaris’ second-largest product line. He will report directly to Tiller. Lindquist has a marketing background, and came to Polaris from Nike.
Nygaard’s new role will be with the logistics side of the business, in terms of analyzing dealer inventory and sales. He’s also charged with streamlining operations across all product lines.
WRIGHT PROMOTED AT ARCTIC
Chris Wright has been promoted to corporate manager exhaust emissions compliance at Arctic Cat Inc., Thief River Falls, Minn. In his new job, Wright will manage research and development, auditing and certification testing to ensure corporate compliance to all applicable regulations of exhaust emissions for ATVs and snowmobiles.
Wright has been an instrumental in guiding Arctic Cat’s direction to meet stringent EPA exhaust emissions regulation standards and establishing Arctic Cat’s Emissions laboratory. He has worked at Arctic Cat for eight years, coming to the company with a Masters degree in mechanical engineering from Michigan Technological University. He serves on the International Snowmobile Manufacturing Association Public Affairs Committee and the MIC Technical Committee, which adresses emissions-related government rule makings and other developments.
