Outdoor Power Equipment Institute Announces 2009-2010 Officers and Directors

(The Outdoor Power Equipment Institute, Inc.)

Alexandria, VA – July 20, 2009 - The Outdoor Power Equipment Institute (OPEI) announced its 2009-10 Officers and Board of Directors during its 57th Annual Meeting in Greensboro, GA held June 25-27, 2009.

Officers for 2009-10 include: OPEI Chairman Michael Hoffman, Chairman, Chief Executive Officer, The Toro Company; OPEI Vice Chairman Fred Whyte, President, STIHL, Inc; and Secretary/Treasurer Jean Hlay, President and Chief Operating Officer, MTD Products, Inc.

“We welcome our new officers to their leadership roles on the OPEI Board during what’s expected to be an exciting, yet challenging year for our industry,” said Kris Kiser, Executive VP at OPEI. “As a team, they have the creativity, vision and pragmatic approach we need to maneuver through and succeed in advancing our members’ goals despite tough times and a host of legislative and regulatory issues.”

Continuing their service on the board are: Immediate Past Chairman, Daniel Ariens, President, Ariens Company; Steven Bly, Executive Vice President, Echo Inc; Richard Fotsch, President of the Global Power Group, Kohler Company; Gary Michel, President, Club Car, Inc; Paul Mullet, President, Hustler Turf Equipment; Dan Wilkinson, President, Jacobsen, A Textron Company; and David Zerfoss, President, Husqvarna Professional Products.

Newly elected to the OPEI Board of Directors is: Randy Sergesketter, Senior Vice President, Ag & Turf Global Platform, Turf & Utility, John Deere Company. 

About the Outdoor Power Equipment Institute
OPEI is an international trade association representing the $15 billion landscape, forestry, utility and lawn and garden equipment manufacturing industry. OPEI is a recognized Standards Development Organization for the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) and active internationally through the International Standards Organization (ISO) in the development of safety standards. Founded in 1952, OPEI represents and promotes the outdoor power equipment industry and ensures the public may continue to benefit from the economic, lifestyle and environmental contributions of landscapes and turfgrass.