July 23, 2023
Stihl, Virginia Beach, Va., has named Chris Keffer president and CEO. He will assume this position on Aug. 4, 2023. He succeeds Terry Horan, who has been appointed to the board of directors of Stihl.
“Terry has the heartfelt thanks of the Stihl family for his exceptional leadership,” said Dr. Nikolas Stihl, chairman of the advisory and supervisory boards at the Stihl Group. “He has built a strong leadership team and established the foundation for significant growth through a demonstrated commitment to our loyal distribution network and local Stihl dealers, focusing the organization on winning as one team.”
“The USA is by far our most important market worldwide. These appointments provide stability and continuity, which are critical to our long-term strategic and operational success. Chris has quickly established himself as an innovator and leader and has a keen understanding of our market and our customers. His experience and expertise will enable the company to lead in all markets in which we choose to compete,” said Michael Traub, chairman, Stihl executive board.
“For nearly 100 years, Stihl has remained steadfastly committed to providing the premium quality tools our professional and demanding residential users expect,” said Horan. “Working on this marquee brand alongside our loyal and dedicated workforce has been the pinnacle of my 37-year professional career. I look forward to supporting Chris and the executive council, as together we continue our legacy of market leadership.”
“I would like to thank Terry, the Stihl board and the Stihl family for their confidence in me,” said Keffer. “Stihl has always had a long-term strategic outlook. So, while our market may be facing short-term challenges, we see tremendous opportunity in our future. We have the people, products, programs and partners to grow our position as the leading authority in the gas and battery outdoor power equipment markets.”
