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Yakima restructures, Ten Berge departing

Published July 12, 2012

BEAVERTON, OR (BRAIN) Thursday July 12 2012 4:32 PM MT—Yakima Products has restructured its executive team and has formed three global business units to try and continue and expand the company's international growth.

Yakima Products is the parent of the Yakima, Whispbar and Prorack brands. Since 2009, Yakima Products has been owned by Taiwanese manufacturer Kemflo International, Ltd., a major OE manufacturer of plastic moldings for the auto, defense, leisure and plumbing markets.

As part of restructuring, Ron Ten Berge, Yakima's current senior vice president and chief marketing officer, is leaving the company effective Friday.

Other changes include the appointment of Mark Reis, who is currently CFO/COO, as CEO. The CEO position has been unfilled since Jerry Heinlen left the company last year. Reis has been with Yakima for five years and will be responsible for developing and executing its global strategic direction.

The new organizational structure includes a three-person global executive team. That team includes Bobbie Parisi, newly assigned vice president of brand management, and Rich Jeli, now senior director of engineering. The company has yet to fill the third position, which will be senior director for supply chain.

The company three new global business units will each be led by a general manager who will report to Reis. The units will be in Australia/New Zealand, Europe and Mexico/Latin America. Details on personnel and locations of those units was unavailable.

Yakima will continue to oversee the U.S. and Canadian markets from its global headquarters in Oregon. A search is currently underway for a USA/Canada national sales director. In the interim Dan LeRose will be the acting head of sales for that region.

“This new structure will allow Yakima to leverage the strength of our portfolio in the global marketplace and allow us to meet the cargo management needs of a variety of consumers and retail partners,” said Reis in a statement Thursday.

Steve Frothingham