Proudly serving the industry for which it was named for more than 50 years, Outdoor Power Equipment provides dealers who sell and service outdoor power equipment with valuable information to succeed in a competitive market.
Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/78196
OPEI announces 2012-13 officers and directors Certified Parts Corporation celebrates 30 years HEADQUARTERED IN JANESVILLE, WIS., Certified Parts Corporation (CPC) recently celebrated its 30-year anniversary. CPC was founded on May 10, 1982, to meet the growing demand for obsolete new-old stock replacement parts. While striving to maintain hard-to-find new-old stock replacement parts for out-of-production recreational vehicles, CPC has experienced significant growth in other ventures. CPC acquired certain assets of both TecumsehPower and Hoffco/Comet in 2009, and purchased Wisconsin Wagon Company, home of the Janesville Coaster Wagon, at the beginning of 2010. In celebration of this significant growth and success, CPC held a picnic lunch at the company's original location, 1111 W. Racine St., in order to share this moment with all of its employees, which have increased from three in 1982 to more than 50 in 2012. Although CPC has experienced significant growth in its first 30 years, it continues to look toward adding team members through development of its products, brands and future company acquisitions. THE OUTDOOR POWER EQUIPMENT INSTITUTE (OPEI) announced its 2012-13 Officers and Board of Directors during its 60th annual meeting June 20-22 in Colorado Springs, Colo. Officers for the upcoming year include: OPEI Chairman Daniel Ariens, president, Ariens Company; OPEI Vice Chairman Todd Teske, chairman, president & CEO, Briggs & Stratton Corporation; and OPEI Secretary/ Treasurer Paul Mullet, president, Excel Industries. "Our new officers will lead the organization in an important year for our industry," said Kris Kiser, president and CEO of OPEI. "A variety of legislative, regulatory and market issues will be addressed by the new OPEI Board of Directors, who bring strategic thinking and expertise to the direction we will take." Ariens added, "The vantage point that OPEI represents is more relevant than at any other time in the organization's 60-year history. Our members are in a unique position to provide firsthand knowledge of how legislative actions might affect the employees in this industry and the consumers who rely on power equipment products every day." Continuing their service on the OPEI Board are as follows: Immediate Past Chairman Jean Hlay, president and COO, MTD Products Inc.; Steven Bly, executive vice president, Echo Inc.; Ed Cohen, vice president, government & industry relations, Honda North America; Michael Hoffman, chairman and CEO, The Toro Company; Michael Jones, president of the Americas, Husqvarna; and Fred Whyte, president, Stihl Incorporated. New to the board this year are Marc Dufour, president, Club Car; Peter Hampton, president, Active Exhaust Corporation; and Lee Sowell, president – outdoor products, Techtronic Industries, N.A., Inc. OPE OUTDOOR POWER EQUIPMENT AUGUST 2012 9