Genesis Products announces a new leadership strategy coming on the heels of its latest major acquisition. The company said now that the ink is dry on the recent acquisition of Funder America Inc., it is investing again – in a new leadership structure designed to organize its divisions around customer needs and lean into the deep talent of its executives and managers.
“In this moment of growth, at our current scale, it is time to give more result ownership to our broader management team,” said Jon Wenger, president and CEO.
Along with announcing its management changes Friday, Genesis Products also announced the celebration of the Grand Opening of its new Plant 10 in Goshen, Indiana, at 4 p.m. on Monday, May 16. The plant broke ground in March 2022 and will specialize in solid surface countertops, offering expanded capacity to serve their OEMs. The ribbon cutting includes appetizers and beverages, as well as plant tours showcasing the expanded thermoforming capabilities and state-of-the-art equipment.
The company operates a total of 14 plants in several states, including Elkhart County, where it employs more than more than 1,200 people.
The company said the management changes create an opportunity for it to align product and operations teams to the industries they serve. Formerly structured in four divisions based on operating facilities, the company will now shift its organization to two industry-focused Business Groups: RV & Vehicles and Industrial Wood Products.
“This gives us the opportunity to truly focus on the unique needs of customers in these industry verticals. Our product, engineering and materials teams will no longer divide their time between RV and industrial demands. This streamlines efforts and accelerates our ability to serve our OEM partners,” says Wenger.
It’s good timing for the restructuring, the company said, as Matt Hazelbaker, vice president of Panels & Mouldings, announced his plan to retire last year. Hazelbaker has been a partner at Genesis since 2013 and was integral in the success of the company’s lamination business. He has worked closely with leadership on a transition plan that will culminate at the end of June. In addition, the company recently chose to go in a different direction and separated with Trent Evans, former vice president of Interior Components.
All RV & Vehicles product and operations teams will be centralized under the leadership of Dave Stace, Business Group vice president, who will step into the role after having led the Welformed Division at Genesis for the past year. Stace has deep roots in the secondary automotive and RV industries, serving in various product and plant management roles at Dura Automotive Systems and Coachmen. Most recently, he was the general manager at Shyft Group, strategically leading his division through a major period of growth with continuous improvement across sales, procurement, quality and engineering, according to his new company. His 28 years of executive leadership unites a team of experienced product business leaders on the RV side who will continue to serve OEMS with passion and expertise: Nic Bontrager, Cabinet Doors & Components; Cody Harman, Panels, Mouldings & Tape; Phyllis Beyers, Laminates & Design; Kam Betzer, Countertops. Paired with the seasoned leadership of Heather Jenks, vice president of sales, Genesis is excited to nurture and grow its RV business under this new optimized structure.
David Moser takes on the Industrial Wood Products Business Group vice president’s role, after leading industrial sales and business growth efforts at Genesis for more than three years. All product, operations and sales activities, in addition to four recently acquired plants in the Southeast, fall under his leadership.
