Executive team changes at Yamaha Marine, Water Vehicles
The Yamaha U.S. Marine Business Unit begins 2019 with several important executive team and structural changes that will help the marine manufacturer/distributor realize its 2030 Vision, announced by Yamaha Motor Co., Ltd. last December. The changes will maximize synergies and strengths across the organization to better serve customers, dealers and boat builders.
“As we look to the year 2030 and our vision, we are making changes we need to improve our business operations and strengthen our position as the premium brand in this industry,” said Ben Speciale, president of Yamaha U.S. Marine Business Unit. “The changes within our executive team support our strategy and will yield the most innovative products and quality services for our boat builder customers, dealers and consumers.”
Within the new structure, Speciale will continue to lead the Yamaha team, assuming the title of president of the U.S. Marine Business Unit. He will also be chief sales and marketing officer of Marine Engines and Boat Power Systems (BPS).
Dean Burnett assumes the role of chief sales and marketing officer of all Yamaha Boat Businesses and Marine Service/Vice President of YMUS. Burnett will direct Yamaha’s efforts in these areas at Yamaha Marine, Skeeter, G3, Water Vehicles and Jet Boats. This change will refine Yamaha’s strategic plans for all boats, ensuring year-over-year strategic success. He will also serve as president of Skeeter Products, Inc., and remain director of YJBM.
Bill Boehman now holds the title of chief marine operations and manufacturing officer/VP of Yamaha Motor Corporation, U.S.A. (YMUS). Boehman will serve as president of Yamaha Jet Boat Manufacturing, U.S.A., Inc. (YJBM), Yamaha Precision Propellers, Inc. (YPPI) and Yamaha Marine Systems Company, Inc. (YMSC) and be operational director of Skeeter Products, Inc., all while directing Yamaha’s operations efforts across all marine business units. In addition, Yamaha plans to create a new Marine Manufacturing division to support synergies across all marine manufacturing and lead continuous-improvement efforts.
Jack Chiba’s role as VP of the Yamaha U.S. Marine Business Unit is expanded to oversee all business planning and research, and add resources to his team that will increase support to the entire U.S. Marine Business Unit. Chiba’s team will also manage Yamaha’s branding surveys, Customer Service Index (CSI) surveys and NMMA statistics monitoring.
In late 2018, Yamaha created a Boat Power Systems Development Division, which includes Product Planning and Information, Engineering and Yamaha’s test facility. The purpose of this division is to ensure direct response to customer needs, and to develop products that exceed customer expectations. Yamaha plans to add 15 more employees to the Boat Power Systems Development Division in the next two years.