Suzuki promotes 8 top positions
Suzuki Marine USA recently promoted seven key employees to strengthen its growing team in Tampa, Florida.
“With the promotions of these talented men and women to positions of greater responsibility, our Suzuki Marine crew is stronger and better than it’s ever been,” said Brandon Cerka, General Manager Sales & Marketing. Cerka also reported that new hiring to backfill positions is already underway, ensuring that the company won’t miss a beat as it moves forward. “We’re building up our staff in response to a growing demand for Suzuki outboards across the U.S. More importantly, we have set ourselves up to smoothly and efficiently manage growth in the future, without compromising the levels of service and support we’re known to deliver to our boat building partners, our dealers and our retail customers coast to coast,” added Cerka.
Randy Bowers, who joined Suzuki Marine in 2018, has been promoted to the pivotal role of National Dealer Field Sales Department Manager. Bowers will report to Cerka as he provides support to and manages the activities of District Sales Managers (DSMs) across the United States. He will oversee Suzuki Marine’s DSM team and will be working closely with them to grow Suzuki outboard sales through boat builders and Suzuki Marine’s nationwide dealer network. Bowers will also be instrumental in increasing Suzuki Marine’s network of quality marine dealers from coast to coast.
Luis Gonzalez was promoted to the position of Manager, Technical Service and Training. Gonzalez has a deep-rooted love for the marine industry, having been involved in it from a very young age. In this new role, Gonzalez will continue to oversee the Training and Publications Team, but he will also be responsible for managing Suzuki Marine’s Quality Assurance process. In addition, Gonzalez will collaborate with stakeholders across Suzuki Marine to ensure the company is well prepared to successfully bring rigging component changes and product introductions to market.
After three years with Suzuki Marine, Marissa Hendershot has been promoted to the key position of Human Resources Manager, where she will report to Jacob Ewing and consult with Suzuki Marine President Nobuo Suyama. Hendershot, who holds a bachelor’s degree and boasts 15 years of HR experience, will now be responsible for overseeing Suzuki Marine’s HR functions including benefits, compliance, recruiting, policy development, compensation, employee experience and special projects. She will play a vital role in supporting Suzuki Marine’s future growth while ensuring that the company remains a great place to work.
Kevin Lind was promoted to the role of Lead, Technical Training and Publication, where he will support and report to Louis Gonzalez. Lind will be responsible for overseeing the day-to-day activities of the Training and Publications team, ensuring that Suzuki Marine’s training and publications efforts are executed smoothly and efficiently. Lind will also be tasked with expanding Suzuki Marine’s outreach to vocational training institutions and marine industry programs. The goal of this initiative is to increase Suzuki Marine’s engagement with key educational institutions and strengthen the talent pipeline — ensuring that the organization continues to attract the best and brightest technical talent.
Marc Miller has been promoted to the position of Manager, Warranty and Customer Relations, where his efforts will play a vital role in the ongoing satisfaction of Suzuki customers nationwide. Miller will be responsible for spearheading Suzuki Marine’s Systems, Applications and Products (SAP) implementation for the Service Operations team. He will also be charged with developing and executing strategies aimed to ensuring the efficient and accurate processing of the 4th and 5th years of Suzuki Marine’s standard 5-Year Limited Factory Warranty.
Miller will be supported in these efforts by Derik Steinfeld, who was recently promoted to the position of Warranty Specialist. Steinfeld, who will report to Miller, joined Suzuki Marine in 2021 and quickly demonstrated an understanding for the dealer side of the warranty process. His approach has helped streamline internal warranty processes while creating a better overall experience for dealers.
Sean Moore has been promoted to the role of Coordinator, Operations. He has been an integral part of Suzuki Marine’s facilities team and quickly proved his dedication to his work and Suzuki Marine. This new position will encompass a range of added responsibilities, including taking on a larger role in the Enterprise Lease and Pool Fleet programs to ensure quick response time to drivers’ needs. Moore will also play a central role in Purchase Order distributions, monthly department reconciliation processes, and vendor and supplier setups. He will also have an expanded role in managing company card purchasing requests.
“I want to congratulate every one of these individuals on their promotions and recognize their valuable contributions to our success in the years since we’ve relocated to Florida,” said Cerka. “When we opened our new headquarters, we shared our plans to build a great team of people that would take our company and our brand to new levels. With the help of the these and many other exceptional members of our Suzuki Crew, we have achieved this and more.”
