NEWS – Kawasaki Makes Several Management Changes

Tom Orbe, who joined Kawasaki Motors Corp., U.S.A., in January 2003, and was instrumental in the move to consolidate all of the company’s powersports segments under one umbrella, has left the company.
Orbe last year was named vice president in charge of both sales and marketing.
Orbe , whose last day at Kawasaki was July 15, is returning to his consulting company, Marel Consulting, Inc. Before joining Kawasaki, he was CEO and president of Marel, a Newport Beach-based management and marketing consulting firm.
Following Orbe’s departure, several executives have assumed new roles and titles. Among the executives who now have new responsibilities are Tony Murr and Barry Beehler. Each is a vice president.
Murr moves from his vice president marketing position to take over the vice president sales slot he had previously held, replacing Orbe. Beehler, vice president planning, adds responsibility for the company’s marketing guidance to his new position as vice president planning and marketing.
In a prepared statement July 15, Steve Hamada, president, said, “Tony Murr and Barry Beehler have held numerous executive positions at KMC during their tenure, and by continuing to allow them to change and expand their responsibilities they help set the tone for KMC’s executive growth efforts.”
Murr will incorporate his marketing team background with KMC’s recent supply chain, sales, and dealer development initiatives to help further wholesale and retail goals.
Beehler, who has headed the company’s recent activities related to long term planning and supply chain optimization, adds the marketing responsibilities to his duties. In other changes:
– Bruce Stjernstrom, formerly director of professional racing, will assume the day-to-day management of marketing activities as director of marketing. He has had two stints with KMC, interrupted by a role as managing director of the International Jet Sports Boating Association (IJSBA).
– Patrick Kelly, director of product planning and research, and his group have been moved into the Product Advancement & Racing unit.
– Jim Williams will manage a product line operations group directed by Dave Dora, vice president product operations. Williams’ prior role as manager retail advertising, will be shifted to national advertising manager, Chris Brull.