Polaris Inc. announced several changes to its senior leadership team. Effective today, current president of motorcycles, Steven Menneto, has been named president of off-road; Michael Dougherty, president of international, has been named president of motorcycles in addition to his role as president of international; and Chris Musso, president of off-road, has been named to a new role as senior vice president of electrification strategy. All three leaders will continue to report to Polaris Chairman and CEO Scott Wine.
“Sometimes to ‘Think Outside’ you must look inwards. Winning the competitive battle requires us to allocate and utilize our resources optimally, and that begins with placing our most seasoned and proven executives in roles where they can assume broader responsibilities and deliver greater impact,” said Wine. “These leadership changes leverage existing talent, and add vital capability, as we further our efforts to be a customer-centric, highly efficient growth company.”
Steven Menneto announced as president of Off Road
As president of off-road, Menneto is responsible for Polaris’ off-road vehicle (ORV) and snow business segments.
“Steve is a terrific leader who will build on the solid strategies that Chris and the off-road team crafted over the last two years. With decades of experience in powersports, Steve has proven to be a staunch customer advocate and a successful leader who understands the industry from every angle,” said Wine. “His leadership of our Motorcycles business disrupted giants and I am confident in his ability to deliver even greater results as he reaccelerates growth in our off-road business.”
During his four years as president of motorcycles, Menneto successfully developed and cultivated a customer-first approach across the business. As the result of his leadership, Indian Motorcycle has been the fastest-growing motorcycle brand in the industry, gaining market share every year and leading the industry in owner satisfaction ratings. Menneto joined Polaris in 1997, following two years as a Polaris dealer. During his tenure at Polaris, Menneto has served in various leadership roles including vice president of Motorcycles and director of ORV Sales.
Michael Dougherty appointed president of Motorcycles
Dougherty succeeds Menneto as president of motorcycles. Along with the responsibility for Polaris’ motorcycles segment, Dougherty will remain president of international.
“Throughout his two decades with the company, Mike has played a significant role in fostering our powersports leadership on the global stage. He is a talented leader who has demonstrated an ability to conquer the multifaceted challenges commensurate with developing new markets and driving profitable growth over the long-term,” said Wine. “With Indian Motorcycle, our largest brand outside of North America, Mike’s rich international experience will prove invaluable to a business that is expecting continued growth from international consumers.”
Dougherty has been a key leader in steering the company’s global strategy and building the Polaris brand with its international customer base. He was named president of international in 2015 and under his guidance the company has grown international sales into a more than $800 million business; established a direct presence in 13 countries around the world, the most recent one being Japan; and set a path for continued growth outside of North America. During his time at Polaris, he has also served as the vice president of Asia Pacific and Latin America, vice president of global new market development, and vice president and general manager of the ATV division.
Chris Musso in new role as senior vice president of Electrification Strategy
In this newly created role, Musso will coordinate across Polaris’ Powersports portfolio to advance the company’s electrification strategy and expand on the groundwork established by Polaris’ current electric vehicle product offerings, which include GEM, Goupil and the RANGER EV. Musso joined Polaris in 2017 as president of off-road.
Link: Polaris
