Briggs & Stratton, one of the largest producers of engines for outdoor power equipment and a leading designer, manufacturer and marketer of lithium-ion batteries, standby generators and energy storage systems, appointed Kristina Cerniglia as chief executive officer, effective immediately.
Cerniglia brings more than 30 years of experience leading organizations in the manufacturing industry with her most recent venture being chief financial officer at Briggs & Stratton for nearly two years before being elevated to interim CEO in February 2024.
According to the company, Cerniglia has made significant contributions to Briggs & Stratton and will continue to focus on execution and growth, driving rapid improvements in performance to better serve customers. Prior to Briggs & Stratton, Cerniglia was the CFO and senior vice president with Hillenbrand after spending more than 23 years in various financial leadership roles with Stanley Black & Decker and United Technology Corporation.
“Kristina has the full support, confidence and trust of the board. Kristina possesses the leadership skills and experience needed to accelerate the company’s growth strategy and position Briggs & Stratton to achieve its full potential,” said Michael Psaros, chairman of Briggs & Stratton’s board of directors. “The company’s progress during Kristina’s initial tenure as CEO across every single metric is impressive. She will continue to execute the company vision and mission to deliver profitable growth.”
“I am honored and humbled to step into the role of CEO at Briggs & Stratton. Our organization has a legacy of over 116 years of success because of its innovative and passionate employees,” Cerniglia said. “My colleagues inspire me. Alongside my executive team, we are committed to delivering cutting-edge products and best-in-class service to our customers. I look forward to leading our next growth phase and expanding our mission and purpose to serve our customers, employees, partners and communities.”
Munro names new National Sales Director
Jeff Prell recently joined Munro as its new national sales director. Munro manufactures pumps, pump controls and pump stations for the turf irrigation market.
Prell brings more than 20 years of sales leadership experience to his new position. During that time, he has demonstrated a track record of aligning sales and marketing initiatives, resolving complex solutions and implementing data-driven strategies, according to the company. He said he has a deep passion for understanding customer needs and providing optimal solutions.
“Jeff has a robust understanding of and appreciation for the distribution channel and will be an excellent resource for our distribution partners,” said Katie Powell, president of Munro. “Jeff’s dedication to learning and adapting to changing environments makes him an excellent advocate for his customers and a great fit for the Munro team.”
Central Turf & Irrigation Supply adds Andrew McCorminck
Central Turf & Irrigation Supply, a North American customer-focused wholesale distributor of green industry and landscape supplies, added Andrew McCormick as turf category chemical director. In this role, McCormick will continue the strategic growth for the chemical category set forth by his predecessor, Austin Marsteller, who was promoted to turf category business director in February 2024.
McCormick has been a part of the turfgrass industry for the past 27 years. He is a graduate of Ohio University with a degree in sports business and Ohio State University for turfgrass management. He is also a Class A member of the Golf Course Superintendent Association of America (GCSAA). He has 14 years of experience in the superintendent side of the business with skills in warm-season and cool-season grasses. Before joining Central Turf & Irrigation Supply, McCormick spent the last 11 years in turf and ornamental sales at the distributor level.
“We are always looking to bring quality members to our team so that we can meet and exceed the needs of our customers,” said Anthony Luciano, vice president of sales and marketing for Central Turf & Irrigation Supply. “I am confident that McCormick will help us do this. As we continue to grow the department and the resources available to our customers, it remains integral for us to have key hires in place across the entire turf category.”
Central Turf & Irrigation Supply is family-owned and operated and is a wholesale distributor for irrigation, landscape, agronomic, sustainable products, lighting and grounds care equipment. The company was founded in 1990 and now has 60 locations in the U.S. and Canada.
Massey Services promotes Marquardt
Massey Services recently promoted Howard Marquardt to director of IT infrastructure.
Marquardt joined Massey Services in July 2018 and has been instrumental in establishing the company’s mobility practice for the distribution and service of all telecommunication systems and smart devices, as well as expanding infrastructure services. Most recently, his achievements in enhancing Massey’s security systems highlight his commitment to ensuring the safety and efficiency of operations. Marquardt also led a software-defined wide area network (SD-WAN) replacement project earlier this year, which resulted in increased bandwidth, lower cost and circuit redundancy in all the company’s service centers.
“Marquardt has led several initiatives in our company that have helped improve communication flow with our customers and streamlined processes for our team members,” said Adam Scheinberg, vice president of Information Technology at Massey Services. “He also plays a critical role in the technology setup for every new service center and is always eager to help solve any technical issues. We congratulate him on this well-earned promotion.”
Marquardt graduated from the University of Phoenix with an Associate of Applied Business degree in business administration.
Target Specialty Products appoints Miltner to product development manager
Target Specialty Products, a provider of pest control, vector and turf and ornamental solutions in the U.S. and Canada, announces the appointment of Eric Miltner, Ph.D., as the new product development manager for the turf & ornamental division.
Target Specialty Products is proud to introduce Eric Miltner as the new Product Manager for Turf Fuel product line. In this role, Eric will lead the Turf Fuel team, focusing on supporting professional turfgrass and landscape managers in overcoming their unique challenges. Eric is eager to collaborate with an experienced team to continue addressing the specific needs of the industry. He aims to explore and understand new and emerging technologies, driving innovation within the well-established Turf Fuel product line. Eric’s vision includes developing tools that enhance plant performance, boost stress tolerance and promote sustainability.
Eric Miltner brings nearly 30 years of dedicated industry experience to his new position. His extensive background as a research and technical agronomist includes substantial expertise in product development, technical support and customer training. Eric is well-regarded for his strong communication and educational skills, effectively sharing knowledge with diverse audiences. His career highlights include significant contributions in research management, education and training, regulatory advocacy and grant writing. Additionally, Eric has successfully collaborated with sales, marketing, manufacturing and regulatory departments to achieve strategic business goals.
“We are excited to have Eric joining our team,” said David Helt, president of Target Specialty Products, “Eric brings extensive experience and skills to developing new and innovative products and expanding our line of proprietary products aimed at helping our customers.”
“Joining Target Specialty Products and taking on the role of product manager for Turf Fuel is an exciting opportunity,” said Miltner. “I look forward to working with the team to innovate our products and provide our customers with the tools they need for optimal turfgrass and landscape management.”
