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12 JANUARY 2017 OUTDOOR POWER EQUIPMENT www.outdoorpowerequipment.com INDUSTRY NEWS Stihl Inc. chairman recognized by Virginia General Assembly F red Whyte, Stihl Inc. board chairman, was recently honored by the Virginia Senate and House of Delegates with a joint resolution outlining his successful tenure with the Virginia Beach, Va.-based company. State Sen. Bill DeSteph (R-8th) presented the joint resolution at a luncheon in Virginia Beach. The resolution outlined Whyte's career at the helm of Stihl Inc., the U.S. subsidiary of the worldwide Stihl Group. It highlighted his career, from his start as one of the company's first 50 employees to his community leadership across southeast Virginia as a member of the boards for Old Dominion University and the Children's Health Foundation of Children's Hospital of the King's Daughters. The resolution also honored Whyte's work as a leader in the outdoor power equipment industry and his service to several national industry trade associations. Whyte currently serves as the sole director and chairman of the Stihl Inc. board of directors, following his retirement as president in December 2015. During his tenure, Stihl enjoyed record growth and became the "number one selling brand of gasoline-powered handheld outdoor power equipment in America," based on syndicated Irwin Broh Research, as well as independent consumer research of 2009-2015 U.S. sales and market share data for the gasoline-powered handheld outdoor power equipment category combined sales to consumers and commercial landscapers. "Fred Whyte has been a friend, constituent and most importantly, a leader, for over 30 years," said DeSteph. "As the president of Stihl Inc., he contributed to the city of Virginia Beach in ways few can claim — overseeing the growth of this top corporation, which resulted in tremendous economic benefit to our great city; employing hundreds of residents in high-paying, skilled manufacturing jobs; mentoring local students as they consider future employment paths. Fred is to be commended for his character, his drive and his willingness to contribute. He is truly an inspiration to those who know him. We are indeed fortunate to have a man of his caliber living in our community." Pictured from left to right are as follows: Sen. Bill DeSteph; Fred Whyte, board chairman, Stihl Inc.; Hans Peter Stihl, honorary chairman of Stihl Holding AG & Co. KG Advisory Board; and Bjoern Fischer, president, Stihl Inc. OPEI updates free education materials for Look Before You Pump campaign T he Outdoor Power Equipment Institute (OPEI), the trade association representing power equipment, engine and utility vehicle manufacturers and suppliers, recently updated its free consumer and dealer education materials for its "Look Before You Pump" campaign in light of increased availability of higher ethanol fuel blends at gasoline filling stations. Gasoline containing greater than 10-percent ethanol (E10) can be harmful to outdoor power equipment and other small-engine products, including lawn mowers, snow throwers, power washers, string trimmers, chain saws, as well as other small-engine equipment such as boats, snowmobiles and utility vehicles. "Using fuel with more than 10-percent ethanol in any gasoline- powered outdoor power equipment can void manufacturer's warranties and damage the engine," said Kris Kiser, president and CEO of OPEI. "We hope that equipment dealers, manufacturers and suppliers will distribute these updated materials and remind consumers to 'look before you pump.'" According to 2016 national polls by Nielson/Harris and OPEI, consumers remain confused about the changing fuels marketplace. Less than one-third — only 31 percent of poll respondents — knew that gasoline blends in excess of E10 are harmful to outdoor power equipment. Only five percent knew that gasoline blends in excess of E10 are not approved for use in small engines. Even more alarmingly, 60 percent of poll respondents assumed that any retail fuel is safe for any type of engine. As higher ethanol blends enter the fuel marketplace, consumers must remember to select gasoline based on the products specifications, and not just choose fuel based on price. With more than 250 million pieces of outdoor power equipment currently in home garages, utility and maintenance sheds, and facility management stations, OPEI urges consumers to remain vigilant and always check their product manuals for proper fueling instructions. "As an industry, we need to educate consumers about proper and safe fueling, so they can make smart decisions at the pump," added Kiser. "The 'Look Before You Pump' materials can help dealers, suppliers and manufacturers initiate conversations about proper fueling with consumers." OPEI launched its "Look Before You Pump" campaign in 2013. Digital versions of the materials are free and available for download at tinyurl.com/ EthanolEducation.