Polaris names Duke president of its Marine business

Polaris announced today that Ben Duke has been named president of Marine. Duke will succeed Jake Vogel, who is transitioning to a strategic advisory role at Polaris. Both Duke and Vogel will report to Polaris CEO Mike Speetzen.

“The Vogel family’s immense impact on the pontoon and boating industry are evident by the powerhouse Bennington, Godfrey and Hurricane brands. Since Polaris acquired the businesses in 2018, Jake has overseen their continued success and we are deeply appreciative of his contributions, including growing revenue over the past three-year period and setting the brands on a path for continued long-term success,” Speetzen said. “We’re excited to have Ben take the baton from Jake and lead us into the next chapter for Polaris Marine. Ben brings extensive management experience and industry expertise. While managing our Godfrey and Hurricane businesses, Ben has increased market share and improved profitability, while improving efficiency and employee health and safety at the plant. His results-driven focus and strong leadership capabilities, coupled with a deep understanding of this segment, gives me complete confidence in his ability to successfully guide and grow our Marine business.”

“It is a privilege to take on this leadership role, building on the incredible legacy that Jake and his family have created with these brands and advancing Polaris’ Marine business,” Duke said. “With Polaris’ top-notch portfolio of boat brands and the skill of the Polaris Marine team I’ve worked alongside these last several years, I’m energized by what lays ahead for this business and the growth and innovation we will deliver for the benefit of our customers and dealers.”

A seasoned leader within the marine industry, Duke joined Polaris in 2019 as general manager for the Godfrey and Hurricane Boats businesses at Polaris. Prior to his role with Polaris, Duke served as president of the Job Site and Standby Power Group at Briggs and Stratton. He also spent nearly a decade at Mercury Marine in various product and marketing leadership roles. He was a member of U.S. Air Force before entering the private sector. Duke earned his master’s in Business Administration, as well as his bachelor’s degree in Business Management from Lakeland University.