OPEI HOSTS 70TH ANNUAL MEETING, NAMES 3 NEW BOARD MEMBERS The Outdoor Power Equipment Institute held its 70 th Annual Meeting in June at the Omni Grove Park Inn, Asheville, N.C. Nearly 150 attendees gathered for the event, where the asso- ciation announced three new Board members and named a new Board chair. “This year’s event has been a great example of the power of an association. For 70 years, OPEI has given our members a forum to address the challenges and opportunities facing the industry,” said Kris Kiser, OPEI President. “This year’s An- nual Meeting was one of our most successful, and an oppor- tunity to share the positive state of the association and trade show. On the heels of our largest Equip Expo ever, we were able to report the 2023 show is seeing record levels of sup- port, and looks to be another record-setter for attendance.” The meeting featured a slate of keynotes addressing prac- tical topics of leadership, the economy, and business trends, including Economist Alan Beaulieu, Ford Motor Co. Chief Fu- turist Sheryl Connelly, and Pulitzer Prize-winning Presidential Historian and Author Jon Meacham.
OPEI staff also presented updates on regulatory engage- ment, expansions at Equip Exposition, and new programming at the TurfMutt Foundation. The OPEI Board of Directors met concurrently with the Annual Meeting, approving the association’s budget, new Executive Committee, and work plans for the coming year. The association announced three new Board members: • Klaus Hahn, President North America, Greenworks • Harold Redman, President and CEO, Echo Incorporated • Nelson Wilner, Senior Vice President and General Manager, Engines, Kawasaki Motors Corp. USA The association’s new executive committee comprises: • Chair: Mike Clancy, CEO Chervon North America • Vice Chair: David Thorne, Vice President, Turf & Compact Utility Business Unit, Deere & Company • Secretary/Treasurer: John Wyatt, Senior Vice President and President of Outdoor, Stanley Black and Decker • Immediate Past Chair: Brian Melka, Group President – Kohler Energy • Equip Exposition Show Chair: Dan Ariens, Chairman and CEO, Ariens Company
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