Chuck Baxter Steps Down As Vice President of Engineering at Polaris; Jeff Bjorkman Accepts New Position As Vice President of Operations
10 October 2000
Chuck Baxter Steps Down As Vice President of Engineering at Polaris; Jeff Bjorkman Accepts New Position As Vice President of Operations
MINNEAPOLIS--Oct. 10, 2000--Polaris Industries Inc. announced today that Chuck Baxter, Vice President of Engineering, will step down from his full-time responsibilities after 30 years with Polaris. Polaris' Vice President of Manufacturing, Jeff Bjorkman, will take over Baxter's role in the newly-created position of Vice President of Operations, which will encompass the leadership of both manufacturing and engineering at Polaris."Polaris has been fortunate over the years to have a talent like Chuck. The success we enjoy today is due in large part to the products Chuck and his team have developed over the years," said Tom Tiller, President and CEO of Polaris Industries.
Polaris has asked Baxter to stay on with Polaris part-time in a consulting capacity. He will be involved on a project-by-project basis to provide expertise on technology strategy and to continue on the series of development projects he's well known for. Baxter plans to focus more time on his outside business interests and riding Polaris products. He will keep an office in Roseau, Minn.
In his new position, Bjorkman will be responsible for all manufacturing, purchasing, logistics and engineering for the company. His strong leadership has grown the manufacturing team over the last five years and he's also been a key driver of change in areas outside of his immediate scope.
"This newly created position gives Jeff the opportunity to integrate manufacturing and technology more closely," said Tiller. "Jeff's technical ability, strong leadership and passion to see Polaris succeed will position him well to take on this new challenge."
About Polaris
Information about the complete line of Polaris products is available from authorized Polaris dealers or from the Polaris home page at www.polarisindustries.com.
Polaris designs, engineers, manufactures and markets snowmobiles, all-terrain vehicles, Victory motorcycles, personal watercraft, and the Polaris RANGER for recreational and utility use. Polaris is the largest snowmobile manufacturer in the world, and one of the largest U.S. manufacturers of ATVs and personal watercraft. Polaris also enhances the riding experience with a complete line of PurePolaris apparel, accessories, and parts available at Polaris dealerships. Consumers can also purchase apparel and accessories around the clock online at www.purepolaris.com. Polaris Industries Inc. trades on the New York Stock Exchange and Pacific Stock Exchange under the symbol "PII," and the company is included in the S&P SmallCap 600 stock price index.