International Boat Industry - June-July 2018

http://www.ibi-plus.com International Boat Industry | JUNE–JULY 2018 7

IBI’s daily marine industry intelligence service

online and in depth.For more infomation

or to subscribe contact Nick Hopkinson:

[email protected]

Gregory Yeakle

Jan Timmerman

David Pougher

GULF CRAFT

Gregory Yeakle has replaced Erwin Bamps

as CEO of Gulf Crat. Bamps, who has

held the position for the past four years,

has moved to a new role as advisor to the

board for international matters. Yeakle joins

Gulf Crat with a solid record of leadership

at companies such as Informix, Alexander

Proudfoot Company and Invensys.

BRITISH MARINE

British Marine president David Pougher is

to serve as interim managing director until

a new appointee is recruited to replace

Howard Pridding, who is stepping down.

Pougher will serve for a minimum of six

months to ensure a smooth transition.

ROYAL HUISMAN

Jan Timmerman is to take over as CEO of

Royal Huisman, efective August 1, 2018.

Timmerman has a successful track record

as managing director and president of

international businesses in the fields of

premium coated aluminium and lighting

solutions, supplying both high-end

architectural projects as well as OEMs.

ROSETTI SUPERYACHTS

Italy’s Rosetti Superyachts has appointed Andrea Giora as sales

director. Working closely with CEO Fulvio Dodich, Giora will target

potential clients interested in superyachts, supply vessels, explorers

and support vessels. He returns to the yachting industry ater working

as a senior VP of Netjets Europe and sales executive of Air Partner.

BRUNSWICK CORP

Brunswick’s chief technology oficer, David Foulkes, has been named

president of Brunswick Marine Consumer Solutions. Foulkes will

be responsible for the Brunswick Boat Group, Nautic-On, Brunswick

Marine Services, the Brunswick iJET Innovation Lab at the University

of Illinois Research Park and Brunswick’s Advanced Design Methods.

YANMAR MARINE INTERNATIONAL

Teruyuki Yamaoka has been promoted to vice president of Yanmar

Marine International. Yamaoka has extensive experience in

production management and quality assurance, corporate brand

building, strategic operations and planning. His previous roles include

planning division manager and director of operation at Yanmar

America Corp, and sales planning and strategy senior manager at

Hokuto Yanmar Corporation.

Chris-Craft

is an iconic,

premium brand that

shares many similarities

with our own heritage

Winnebago

brand

Chris-Craft sold

USA Iowa-based motorhome

manufacturer Winnebago

Industries Inc has acquired

fibreglass boat brand Chris-

Craft from former owners

Stellican Ltd.

“Chris-Craft is an iconic,

premium brand that shares

many similarities with our own

heritage Winnebago brand,

including a commitment to

providing customers with the

highest quality products and

services,” says Winnebago

president and CEO Michael

Happe. “The company’s strong

brand, high-quality product

line and premium position in

the marine market make Chris-

Craft an attractive addition to

our portfolio.”

Changes to Chris-Craft’s

operations are expected to be

minimal. Current president

Stephen Heese will continue

to lead the business in the

same role, and the company

is expected to remain in its

existing 170,000ft^2 facility in

Sarasota, Florida.

Winnebago has identified

several opportunities to

accelerate Chris-Craft’s growth

strategy, including adding

production capacity, adding

new models to its existing

lines, expansion of the global

dealer network and extending

the brand into new boat

categories.

Further brand extensions

through licensing agreements

SChris-Crat’s Corsair 34

are also being considered.

“We look forward to further

developing our storied brand

while leveraging Winnebago’s

capital and resources to

accelerate our growth, and

continue delivering an

exceptional product experience

for our dealers and customers,”

says Heese.

Moving forward, Chris-

Craft will operate as a

distinct business unit within

Winnebago Industries.

With a brand heritage that

dates back to 1874, Chris-

Craft makes luxury-premium

fibreglass runabouts in both

bowrider and closed-deck

designs, along with a growing

line of outboard-powered

centre console and dual

console models from 21ft-38ft.

Around 75% of the brand’s

business is represented by

domestic sales within the

US, but it has a growing

international dealership base

of more than 90 dealers and

123 global sales locations in

more than 50 countries.

Chris-Craft has had

numerous owners since it

was sold by the Chris-Craft

Industries media corporation

in 1981, including Dale Murray,

Ghaith Pharaon, OMC and

eventually Genmar.

The company was finally

acquired and placed on a much

stronger footing by Stellican

in 2001 under the direction

of its turnaround specialist,

chairman Stephen Julius.