Bodnar Joins Wichard USA
Industry Veteran Becomes New Sales Manager
Wichard USA is proud to announce that industry veteran, Kurt Bodnar, has joined their team as Sales Manager. His extensive experience in sailing product management promises to immediately benefit Wichard’s retail customers. Over the past 23 years working in the industry, Kurt has complied the knowledge and connections necessary to help them expand their retail sales with targeted offerings, while also enhancing Wichard’s overall customer service experience.
Starting in 1999, Kurt became a member of the marine industry as a store Manager at West Marine in Newport, RI. Later that year, he joined Defender Industries as a clothing buyer and before long he became Product Manager for their sail hardware, coatings, epoxies, cordage, and anchoring product categories. Kurt also served as Defender’s exhibitor and boat shows coordinator for the purchasing department. A lifelong and still active boater, Kurt has also spent time aboard everything from Star Craft ski boats to his current sailboat, a Nonsuch 30.
According to Kevin Coughlin, General Manager of Wichard USA, “We are very happy to have Kurt join our team as we continue to grow our business in North America. Recreational marine is a core market for our company and having an industry veteran like Kurt will help us continue to service the customers at the highest level for all our products. His 23 years at Defender have provided him with years of marine business interactions and a solid basis for his new role.”
For over 100 years, Wichard has created top-quality stainless-steel products from its French headquarters. Wichard Group currently also include Profurl, Sparcraft, Facnor, Lorima and Peguet brands, which are represented across North America through its US headquarters in Charlotte, NC.
