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: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/41812
INDUSTRY NEWS OPEI announces new president and CEO… The Outdoor Power Equipment Institute (OPEI) announced August 31 the appoint- ment of Kris Kiser as its next president and CEO, effective immediately, succeeding re- tiring Bill Harley in both positions. Kiser formerly served as OPEI's executive vice president and COO. "The last 12 years with OPEI have been a remarkable time," said Harley. "I leave with great pride in our collective accom- plishments and the certainty that my suc- cessor, Kris Kiser, will not only build on those accomplishments, but also lead the organization to new heights. I look forward to new and interesting experiences and challenges ahead." Kiser, an attorney, is a long-time vet- eran of Capitol Hill, having served as aide to international affairs expert and former Congressman Lee H. Hamilton, and is a highly regarded fuels expert and strong voice in the ethanol fuel debate. Kiser has served as the chief advocate for the out- door power equipment industry before the U.S. Congress and Administration on a range of issues related to fuels, emissions, manufacturing, environment and water. A committed supporter of animal res- Kris Kiser cue and rehabilitation, Kiser spearheaded the development of the TurfMutt educa- tional curriculum with Discovery Commu- nications and OPEI's Education and Research Foundation (turfmutt.discovery education.com and www.TurfMutt.com). The TurfMutt curriculum is aimed at pro- moting environmental stewardship of lawns, landscapes, parks and green spaces …and its officers and directors for 2011-12 The Outdoor Power Equipment Institute (OPEI) announced August 4 its 2011-2012 officers and board of directors, with a his- toric appointment as Jean Hlay, president and chief operating officer, MTD Products, Inc., became the first woman elected to serve as OPEI's chair of the board. Joining Hlay as officers will be Richard Fotsch, president of the Global Power Group, Kohler Company, as vice chair, as well as Dan Wilkinson, president, Jacobsen, A Textron Company, as secretary/treasurer. "This coming year will be a challenging, yet exciting time for our industry as we confront many regulatory and business is- sues," said Kris Kiser, recently appointed president and CEO of OPEI. "Our new offi- cers have the depth and breadth of experi- ence to make sure we pull together as an industry and meet these challenges head on and come out stronger and more com- petitive than ever before." Hlay added, "OPEI will continue to focus on providing our members with out- 10 standing services. Our leadership in prod- uct standards development is imperative to ensure safe products and high customer satisfaction for our industry. Additionally, OPEI is a key source for timely, accurate market data used by members in their day-to-day business. Finally, we will con- tinue to take an active role advocating for our industry in regulatory matters that im- pact our members. Uncertainty is abun- dant these days, but our objectives are clear." Continuing their service on the board will be as follows: Daniel Ariens, president, Ariens Company; Steven Bly, executive vice president, Echo Inc; Edward Cohen, vice president-government & industry rela- tions, American Honda Motor Co., Inc.; Michael Hoffman, chief executive officer, The Toro Company; Michael Jones, presi- dent, Husqvarna Professional Products; John May, senior vice president, AT&T Global Platform, Turf & Ag division, John Deere Company; Gary Michel, president & OUTDOOR POWER EQUIPMENT www.outdoorpowerequipment.com through a "spokesdog" named Lucky, a real rescue dog and the face of the program. Prior to joining OPEI, Kris served for 14 years in senior management at two major, Washington, DC-based trade associations representing the automobile manufactur- ing and forest products industries. He was vice president, state and international af- fairs for the Alliance of Automobile Manu- facturers and vice president, governmental affairs for the American Forest & Paper Association. "Kris Kiser brings over 18 years of expe- rience in working with associations, includ- ing four years with OPEI," said OPEI Board Chair Jean Hlay. "Kris has a tremendous amount of passion for the outdoor prod- ucts industry, including its challenges, and has earned a reputation as a trusted and respected leader. Kris will continue to fur- ther enhance OPEI's leadership position. "The Board of Directors would like to thank Bill Harley for his leadership over the past 12 years. He has been instrumen- tal in growing our international tradeshow, among his many other contributions. Bill has added a tremendous amount of value to the association. We wish Bill the very best in his retirement." Jean Hlay CEO, Club Car, Inc; Paul Mullet, president, Excel Industries; Todd Teske, president & CEO, Briggs & Stratton Corporation; and Fred Whyte, president, Stihl Inc., immedi- ate past chairman.