Martinez promoted to president of Motorsports at Yamaha USA

Mike Martinez, formerly the vice president of the Motorsports division, has been promoted to President of Motorsports at Yamaha Motor Corporation, U.S.A.

Martinez will be supported in the role by Kaz Abe, vice president of Motorsports Operations; Chas Caraway, vice president of Business Planning & Strategy; and Mike Doughty, general manager of Sales.

Martinez began his career with Yamaha Motorsports in Cypress, California, in 1994, after relocating from Boston following the completion of his MBA from Bentley University. He started with Yamaha in product planning where he worked with Yamaha Motor Co., Ltd. (YMC), to help develop notable products like the first Raptor and Grizzly 4×4 ATVs and Rhino side-by-side.

More recently, Martinez led the relocation of the Motorsports Group to its current base in Marietta, Georgia, growing a strong team of enthusiastic, passionate and dedicated staff. Since this move, the Motorsports Business Unit has returned to strong profitability while navigating the recent challenges brought on by both COVID-19 and supply chain disruptions. Martinez’s vision for the future prioritizes continuing to build a profitable business foundation, strengthening dealer network partnerships, and ensuring that the Motorsports division exceeds the needs and expectations of the next generation of Yamaha customers.