Kawasaki Positions Itself For Continued Growth In The Coming Decade With Organizational Changes In Marketing And Product Development

Company also announces facilities expansion plans.

IRVINE, Calif.---Coming off several years of increased sales, Kawasaki Motors Corp., U.S.A., is reorganizing the structure of its product development and marketing activities -- as well as expanding its corporate headquarters -- to better position the company for even greater growth anticipated over the next decade. Company president, Masatoshi ("Mike") Tsurutani, said the changes will become effective January 2.

Tsurutani announces that Executive Vice President Bob Shepard will assume the newly -created position of executive vice president, marketing group. Vice Presidents Barry Beehler, Mark Kelly, and Bob Moffit, each charged with overseeing specific product category activities, will report to Shepard. He will also assume direction of KMC's Consumer Events as well as maintain oversight of the Accessories Division.

KMC's sales have been increasing between 10 and 20 percent each of the past three years and according to Tsurutani, this consolidation will be an "important factor in assuring continued growth over the next several years, as it will allow us to take advantage of a number of cross-category efficiency opportunities while also providing additional consistency to our branding efforts."

Tsurutani said the company will also expand its corporate headquarters by 115,000 square feet, scheduled to be completed next December. This expansion, which further underscores Tsurutani's enthusiasm for continued growth, will be devoted to additional office space as well as technical services support.

As part of the new structure, Paul Bailey, formerly west region sales manager, will become director of a new Marketing Services Department providing support for the marketing group product divisions.

Bailey will be replaced by Tony Murr, who has held a similar position at KMC's Fort Worth , Tex. office. Murr's position as central region sales manager will be taken by longtime company district manager, Tony Moseley. All sales personnel will continue to report to executive vice president of sales, Paul Trotta.

The organizational change will also see the expansion of the company's Research and Development function, headed by Executive Vice President Yoshi Kawamura. The division will be renamed Product Advancement and Racing Division, with Kohei Yamada named as vice president, product research and planning. Hiro Iwai becomes director, product testing, and Bruce Stjernstrom assumes the role of director, professional racing, with responsibility for all professional racing activity, including personal watercraft, motocross, and road racing.

Kawasaki Motors Corp. U.S.A., is the distributor of JET SKI watercraft, ATVs, MULE utility vehicles, portable generators and power products, and motorcycles. The product lines are sold through a network of independent retailers. The company employs over 600 people in the United States, with almost 400 of them located at the Irvine headquarters.