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

Murray Bishop, Director of Branch Operations at Pacific STIHL

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 Inc. 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, Va. 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. As a member of the board of directors of the Virginia Maritime Assn. since 2015, Bishop has been a leading voice for strengthening the Port of Virginia and manufacturing in the Commonwealth.

Bishop has been instrumental in the development and implementation of strategies to improve distribution and infrastructure. He helped plan for several facility changes, including moves to new buildings for both Pacific STIHL and Northeast STIHL, the merger of Mississippi Valley STIHL and Midwest STIHL and the recent expansion of Mid-Atlantic STIHL. He also served as director of information services, overseeing systems and project management throughout the STIHL network in the United States.

“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.

For more information, please visit www.STIHLusa.com.

About STIHL Inc.

STIHL Inc. manufactures the number one selling brand of gasoline-powered handheld outdoor power equipment in America,* as well as the number one selling brand of chain saws in the world. STIHL is also the number one selling brand of gasoline-powered handheld outdoor power equipment among U.S. landscape professionals.** STIHL products are sold through servicing power equipment retailers from coast to coast – not big box stores. Located in Virginia Beach, Va., STIHL Inc., the headquarters for U.S. operations for the worldwide STIHL Group, exports to over 90 countries around the world; and the majority of STIHL products sold in America are also built in America.*** STIHL products sold through U.S. STIHL dealers are for distribution in the United States only. For more information or for the name of a local STIHL retailer, call toll free 1-800-GO STIHL (1-800-467-8445), visit STIHLusa.com or text your zip code to 78445. 

*"Number one selling brand" is based on syndicated Irwin Broh Research as well as independent consumer research of 2009-2016 U.S. sales and market share data for the gasoline-powered handheld outdoor power equipment category combined sales to consumers and commercial landscapers. **“Number one selling” claim based on 2007-2016 syndicated Irwin Broh Research of the U.S. professional landscaper market. ***A majority of STIHL gasoline-powered units sold in the United States are built in the United States from domestic and foreign parts and components.