STIHL names new director of branch operations

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. – STIHL announced the promotion of Murray Bishop to director of branch operations at Pacific STIHL, based in Visalia, Calif. effective July 2017.

Bishop, an 18-year employee of STIHL, will now be responsible for directing and managing the sales, distribution and service of all products, parts and accessories at the company-owned branch. He will also lead the development of advertising and marketing plans for the territory, which includes California, Nevada, Arizona, Hawaii and Guam. “Murray has done an excellent job managing multiple departments at STIHL and is no stranger to the distribution side of the business. We know he’ll bring valuable experience to Pacific STIHL,” said Nick Jiannas, vice president of sales and marketing at STIHL.

Bishop most recently served as senior manager of export and logistics at STIHL in Virginia Beach. He began his career with STIHL in 1999 as manager of finished goods and was responsible for shipments to domestic and export customers. Since then, he’s served as manager of warehouse operations, as well as packaging operations and national traffic management. He has also served as a member of the Board of Directors of the Virginia Maritime Association since 2015.

“I’m excited to continue working to ensure STIHL is the first choice for professionals and consumers in the Pacific STIHL territory,” Bishop said. “I look forward to working with our network of servicing dealers to deliver the best product with the best service possible.”

Bishop succeeds Larry Blamer, who is the new Managing Director for STIHL Australia.