All of us Husky dealers were informed of the new additions to the Husqvarna NA team and of the move to Corona Ca. via e-mail this week. That will put them dead center in the US motorcycle world. Lots more details to follow. Wow! Go Husky! Later, Jeff Tasky
About time some one posted this there is so much good news comming out of Husky Time will show as for Corona just about every motorcycle company both factory and aftermarket is located with in a few miles of Corona .There are many off road magazines ,test tracks ,mountains and desert trails with in sight so only good thing can happen PLUS we ride and test all year long best weather and just about every type of ridding areas are avalible with in a 100 miles .Thanks Husky now keep working on that new 2 stroke
Here is a paste of the e-mail, I didn't think Husqvarna NA would mind me sharing such great news! Later, Jeff Tasky Go Husky! November 30, 2010 Dear Husqvarna Dealer, There are exciting changes in store for the Husqvarna brand. Based on your comments, concerns and critiques, the Husqvarna North America structure has been totally revised to better meet dealer, and ultimately customer needs. We are happy to announce changes that will position Husqvarna North America to serve the U.S. off-road market like never before. New management has been brought on board to help the existing team better serve your needs, as well as expanded staffing to allow greater focus on key customer service and marketing functions. These changes come in conjunction with a new headquarters for greater involvement in the market we serve, a new commitment to our dealers and revolutionary new products. We are committed to re-establishing Husqvarna as a leading off-road motorcycle brand in the United States. New people, new attitude and new product should help alleviate some of the old dealer concerns! STAFFING NEWS: Husqvarna is quite literally doubling the size of its staff, allowing us to react to dealer needs more quickly. We will be able to play a more active role in the marketing and selling of motorcycles by keeping the Husqvarna brand top of mind among off-road motorcycle enthusiasts. The job of not only meeting, but hopefully exceeding your needs is being taken on by a new management team – each of whom bring specific expertise that will help the Husqvarna brand work even harder for you. PRESIDENT Kris Odwarka Leading the new team is Kris Odwarka, who will serve as Husqvarna NA President from December. Kris started working in parts and service departments at motorcycle dealerships to support his racing in Colorado and New Mexico. He later worked for BMW in various positions in Europe and the States for a decade before becoming sales director of ALPINA GmbH in 2002. In addition to his real world training at the dealership level, Kris also has both a Bachelor degree and MBA from the University of Colorado. Kris brings both industry knowledge and experience with Husqvarna’s parent company BMW. This will be beneficial as Husqvarna moves forward -- allowing us to more easily access BMW’s competitive advantages including financing, distribution, sourcing and more. Kris exemplifies the open and creative spirit that is an integral part of the new Husqvarna. NATIONAL SALES MANAGER Revelle Harrison Industry veteran Revelle Harrison joins the Husqvarna team as National Sales Manager. Revelle moves over from KTM, where he has held various roles in the field and HQ for the past 12 years, including serving as KTM's National Sales Manager. Racing and trail riding have been favorite activities throughout Revelle's life, activities he now enjoys sharing with his family. Harrison has a degree in Business Administration from Montana State University. Revelle’s experience and deep understanding of what takes place on the sales floor is a valuable asset. His ability to create structured programs that help dealers sell is combined with an understanding of when to apply creativity and create solutions that get results. Revelle will be leading Husqvarna’s established dealer sales team, helping them reach new levels of dealer service. NATIONAL AFTER SALES MANAGER Andy Jefferson Andy is a former professional motocross racer, riding for Pro Circuit Husqvarna through the early 80s. Andy is especially excited to be returning to his roots in the motorcycle industry after spending the past 27 years in the document management industry, specializing in service, customer relations and project management. Andy brings a rare combination of knowledge from outside and inside the motorcycle industry. His past professional experience has given him a vast knowledge for managing service, parts, projects and customer relations that he now applies to the motorcycle business. In addition, he has the added advantage of understanding the industry from the inside as he has continued to participate in motorcycling since his pro racing days. Racing with the West Coast Husqvarna Zip-Ty Racing Team has given him hands-on experience with the full range of Husqvarna products. NATIONAL MARKETING MANAGER Corey Eastman Corey has more than 17 years of motorcycle marketing experience, including serving as the marketing manager, director of marketing and most recently VP Brand Development for Cycle World Magazine. An avid rider, Corey has explored much of the Southwestern U.S. on two wheels. With a BA in communications/public relations from Cal State Fullerton and solid industry experience, Corey will be taking on all marketing, product development and racing activities effectively immediately. Corey has been on both the client and media side of marketing. He understands that today’s marketing environment demands hard work and creativity. He will be developing a marketing mix that will build the Husqvarna brand, and most importantly, remain relevant on the sales floor. THE NEW LOCATION Husqvarna North America’s new corporate headquarters are located in Corona California. The goal in this move is to allow sales, aftersales and marketing activities to be located closer to the majority of the companies that serve the off-road industry, the media that reports on the industry and a healthy portion of consumers who participate in it. Additionally this will allow for more hands-on product development specific to the American market – making for even better motorcycles moving forward. THE NEW ATTITUDE It’s clear: the new Husqvarna is far more than just another attempt to reposition this historic brand. The investment and commitment are very real and a very clear sign that Husqvarna is committed to becoming a leading off-road motorcycle brand. This starts with our relationship with our dealers. As we move forward, our goal is to increase our communications to you as well as from you. We will be striving to increase the relevance of racing and marketing efforts to expand the audience interested in our products. Additionally we aim to make the Husqvarna ownership experience more inclusive -- driving brand loyalty and creating advocates for our products. Attached you will find a complete contact list for Husqvarna NA team members – please feel free to contact us. We look forward to sharing more exciting news over the coming weeks and are even more excited to ride with you in the coming months! Thank you for your support thus far. We are excited to get to work building the Husqvarna brand of the future. Please join us for an amazing ride! Sincerely, Team Husqvarna North America
Center of the motorcycle industry...ok....into a state so broke it cannot pay attention...not good either. Motorcycle industry is hurting for certain but....
Just judging by my sales demographics and motorcycles sold California does more biz than the rest of the country combined. Washington State actually does quite well too. On top of that the majority of pro race teams are there. Seems like a good move to me. In the thick of it and getting instant feedback from the industry / teams like Ty's. As for a broke sate, most are. That fact may actually be a good thing as real estate prices are rock bottom, good time to move there.
If the major consideration is solvency and citizen disposable income % then I guess you need move to North Dakota or Alaska where natural resources are driving the band wagon.
Wow, a management team that has real dirt roots. I hope they do a little R & D work as well. Here comes our WR DOT TE 310, well in due time... BMW is investing for the big pay out. Move over orange... ;-)
Here is the announcement posted on Cycle News today. http://www.cyclenews.com/articles/industry-news/2010/12/03/new-husky
I'll miss Husky being on the East Coast, but this is a good move industry wise. That said.... The Stuckey brothers are doing a pretty good job of putting Gas Gas on the map from Georgia!
