About Briggs & Stratton
Briggs & Stratton, headquartered in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, provides innovative products and diverse power solutions to help people get work done. Briggs & Stratton is the world’s largest producer of engines for outdoor power equipment, and is a leading designer, manufacturer and marketer of lithium-ion battery, standby generator, energy storage system, lawn and garden, turf care and job site products through its Briggs & Stratton®, Vanguard®, Ferris®, Simplicity®, Snapper®, Billy Goat®, Allmand®, SimpliPhi®, Branco® and Victa® brands. Briggs & Stratton products are designed, manufactured, marketed and serviced in more than 100 countries on six continents.
Our Business & Brands
We are power application experts with a legendary 114-year reputation built from years of working hard to produce dependable, innovative products and supporting our customers.
Power
Turf & Consumer
Allmand
Global Support
Briggs & Stratton’s global support network includes more than 40,000 highly-trained service dealers in 100 countries.
Our Leadership Team
Meet Briggs & Stratton's leadership team who lead and inspire employees worldwide to live out our organizational values, create innovative products, and build strong customer and dealer relationships.
Joe Liotine
President and Chief Executive Officer
President and Chief Executive Officer Joe Liotine leads day-to-day operations and sets the company's strategic, operational, and cultural agenda. He brings with him more than 25 years of global business experience. Liotine joined the company in 2023.
Before joining Briggs & Stratton, Liotine served as president and chief operating officer of Whirlpool Corporation, overseeing the global KitchenAid business and global product development, R&D, sourcing, and IT. He spent over 18 years with Whirlpool, serving in several leadership roles, including seven years as executive vice president and president of North America region, global KitchenAid, and IT. Earlier in his career, Liotine worked in financial management roles in PepsiCo's sales and global procurement teams.
Liotine holds a Master of Business Administration from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business and a Master of Science from Illinois State University.
Kristina Cerniglia
Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer
Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer Kristina Cerniglia directs executive financial management for Briggs & Stratton's global structure. She oversees global accounting, financial planning, reporting, analyses, tax, treasury, and IT. Kristina joined the company as CFO in 2022.
Before joining Briggs & Stratton, Cerniglia spent nine years at Hillenbrand, Inc. as senior vice president and chief financial officer. Before Hillenbrand, Inc., she spent 26 years in the financial divisions at Stanley Black & Decker and Pratt & Whitney. Cerniglia serves on the Board of Directors for Littelfuse, Inc.
Cerniglia holds a Bachelor of Science in Accounting and Finance from Bentley University.
Mike Schlaman
Senior Vice President and Chief Human Resource Officer
Senior Vice President and Chief Human Resource Officer Mike Schlaman oversees the critical HR functions, including talent acquisition, benefits, compensation, and HR technology. He is also responsible for environmental, health and safety, and legal. Schlaman joined the company in 2023.
Before joining Briggs & Stratton, he was the chief human resource officer at Sonic Healthcare. He brings 25 years of experience as an HR leader, having worked for other Fortune 500 companies, such as GE Healthcare, Honeywell, PepsiCo, and Rockwell Automation. Schlaman is an adjunct professor at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, teaching graduate classes at the Lubar College of Business.
He holds a Master of Business Administration from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and a Bachelor of Science in Secondary Education and Teaching from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
Tom Rugg
Senior Vice President and President, Energy Solutions
Senior Vice President and President of Energy Solutions Tom Rugg oversees the division’s strategic, financial, and operational performance. He joined the company in 2001.
Rugg has served in numerous senior leadership roles at Briggs & Stratton, including senior vice president of global sales and marketing, president of the Standby Power and Allmand business units, vice president of corporate development leading M&A activities, and an expatriate assignment as managing director of Southeast Asia and Australasia, overseeing growth across 12 countries.
Rugg holds a Master of Business Administration in Finance and a Bachelor of Marketing and Finance from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
Michelle Kumbier
Senior Vice President and President, Turf & Consumer Products
Senior Vice President and President of Turf & Consumer Products Michelle Kumbier oversees the strategic, financial, and operational performance of the division's brands, which include Ferris, Snapper, Billy Goat, Simplicity, Victa, and Branco. She joined the company in 2022.
Before joining Briggs & Stratton, Kumbier spent more than 22 years at Harley-Davidson Motor Company, serving in various leadership roles, including as chief operating officer. Before Harley Davidson Motor Company, she spent 11 years at Kohler Company. Kumbier serves on the Board of Directors for Abbott Laboratories and Teledyne Technologies.
Kumbier holds a Master of Business Administration from the University of Wisconsin and a Bachelor of Arts in Marketing from Lakeland University.
Christopher Mapes
Senior Vice President, Supply Chain
Senior Vice President of Supply Chain Chris Mapes oversees the development of sourcing, logistics, and materials planning. He joined the company in 2021.
Before joining Briggs & Stratton, he served as vice president of global procurement for First Brands Group, LLC. He brings 25 years of supply chain leadership experience to Briggs & Stratton from companies such as Xylem Inc., Dover Corporation, and Navistar (now Traton).
He holds a Master of Business Administration from Benedictine University and a Bachelors in Production Procurement from Bowling Green State University.
David Dooley
Vice President and President, Allmand
Vice President and President of Allmand David Dooley oversees the brand's strategic, financial, and operational performance. He joined the company in 2021.
Before joining Briggs & Stratton, Dooley held global leadership roles, covering commercial, operations, project management, engineering, finance, human resources, and plant management. He brings over 30 years of leadership experience with global manufacturing companies such as ALFAGOMMA, Crenlo Engineered Cabs, and Donaldson Filtration Solutions. Dooley has completed five expatriate assignments supporting global manufacturing in Europe, Southeast Asia, and South America.
Dooley holds certificates in both mechanical and electronic engineering. During his military service, he also attended the Royal School of Military Engineering in the United Kingdom.
Jeff Zeiler
Senior Vice President, Product Innovation
Senior Vice President of Product Innovation Jeff Zeiler oversees sustainable business growth through new product innovation and R&D. He leads the technology strategy and execution of large-scale new product development initiatives. He joined the company in 2013.
Before joining Briggs & Stratton, Zeiler spent 19 years at Techronics Industries (TTI), most recently as senior vice president of business development at Milwaukee Tool, a subsidiary of TTI. Before that, he was senior vice president of product development at Techtronics Industries in China, overseeing global engineering and technical groups for an extensive portfolio of consumer products and driving the development and commercialization of lithium-ion battery technology for power applications.
Zeiler holds a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from Marquette University and 167 patents across a diverse range of technologies.
David Frank
Senior Vice President and President, Electrification
Senior Vice President and President of Electrification David Frank oversees the brand's strategic, financial, and operational performance. He joined the company in 2016.
Frank has served in numerous senior leadership roles at Briggs & Stratton, including six years as vice president of global commercial engines and power sales and vice president of Electrification. In these roles, Frank had direct responsibility for many global sales offices. Before joining Briggs & Stratton, Frank spent 10 years at Subaru serving as chief marketing officer and vice president of sales, overseeing sales, marketing, customer service, warranty, IT and distribution for South, Central and North America.
Frank holds a Bachelor of Organizational Communication from the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater.
Our Locations
Briggs & Stratton has a widespread presence throughout the world.
Key Acquisitions
Not only does Briggs & Stratton have a legendary history of providing power, but the products businesses we’ve acquired through the years each have its own longstanding history and best-in-class expertise.
Join Our Team!
The strength of our brand lies with our people. This is why we consider them our most important asset.
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