Stihl Inc. Announces Eric Bjorling as New Vice President of Marketing
Eric Bjorling has been named vice president of marketing for Stihl Inc. Bjorling will be responsible for leading the development of U.S. brand and retail marketing communications strategies including national advertising programs, public relations, merchandising and national brand programs.
“We are excited to welcome Eric to Team Stihl,” said Chris Keffer, president and CEO of Stihl Inc. “It is an exciting time at Stihl as we expand our range of product offerings to include wheeled goods and even more battery-powered tools. Eric's wealth of experience and innovative mindset will undoubtedly contribute to our continued success. We look forward to the expertise he will bring to our dynamic team."
Bjorling joins Stihl Inc. from Trek Bicycle Corp., in Waterloo, Wis., where he spent more 18 years in various marketing leadership positions, including serving as the director of brand marketing. His responsibilities extended to overseeing marketing strategies for Trek and its extensive network of more than 1,700 independent retailers across the United States.
"I am truly honored to join Stihl, a company renowned for its commitment to quality and innovation,” said Bjorling. “I am eager to contribute to the growth of the company and help shape future marketing strategies. I look forward to collaborating with the talented team at Stihl to elevate the brand to new heights."
Bjorling succeeds Ken Waldron, who dedicated more than 26 years to Stihl, where he served as the director of marketing and later as vice president of marketing. Throughout his tenure, Waldron was responsible for several disruptive and successful Stihl Inc. marketing campaigns and transformational product launch initiatives. He also played a key role in creating the Stihl Inc. marketing advantage program, empowering 10,000 independent Stihl dealers to benefit from a unified national and regional multimedia advertising initiative to effectively compete with “big box” retailers.
“We sincerely thank Ken for his unwavering service to Stihl. Ken's commitment and contributions to the growth of the brand over these many years cannot be matched. We wish him the best in his retirement,” said Keffer.
Bjorling, a native of Madison, Wis., received a Bachelor of Science degree in consumer science – business affairs from the University of Wisconsin. He and his family will relocate from Madison, Wis., to Virginia Beach, Va.
About the Author
Michael Roth
Editor
Michael Roth has covered the equipment rental industry full time for RER since 1989 and has served as the magazine’s editor in chief since 1994. He has nearly 30 years experience as a professional journalist. Roth has visited hundreds of rental centers and industry manufacturers, written hundreds of feature stories for RER and thousands of news stories for the magazine and its electronic newsletter RER Reports. Roth has interviewed leading executives for most of the industry’s largest rental companies and manufacturers as well as hundreds of smaller independent companies. He has visited with and reported on rental companies and manufacturers in Europe, Central America and Asia as well as Mexico, Canada and the United States. Roth was co-founder of RER Reports, the industry’s first weekly newsletter, which began as a fax newsletter in 1996, and later became an online newsletter. Roth has spoken at conventions sponsored by the American Rental Association, Associated Equipment Distributors, California Rental Association and other industry events and has spoken before industry groups in several countries. He lives and works in Los Angeles when he’s not traveling to cover industry events.