MINNEAPOLIS — Polaris Industries Inc. announces that it has hired Julie Gilbert as chief customer engagement and growth officer. Gilbert will dual report to chairman and chief executive officer Scott Wine and president of motorcycles Steve Menneto.

In this newly created function, Gilbert will be responsible for developing and implementing marketing solutions and growth strategies that introduce new consumers to the Powersports industry and connect with customer segments outside of the company’s traditional core target market. She will also have oversight for Polaris’ corporate marketing, sponsorships and communication efforts, and will help cultivate and launch programs aimed at further engaging RZR owners through the development of rider groups.

“In this strategic leadership role, Julie will deepen our relationships with our existing valued customers, while also expanding brand awareness and connecting with new consumer bases,” said Wine. “For the better part of two decades, she has been growing brands and businesses through innovative, customer-centric strategies that build inclusive communities, and authentically engage new customer segments. Her tenacious, winning attitude combined with her creative thought leadership and significant experience will be a great combination for Polaris and I am excited to have her on our leadership team.”

Most recently, Gilbert was the founder and CEO of PreciouStatus, a mobile software platform and technology company that creates real-time connections for those in professional care facilities in education, healthcare, and the military. Prior to her time at PreciouStatus, Gilbert founded WOLF, a consumer innovation consulting firm that helped organizations grow and expand through improved products and services aimed at the female consumer. She also spent nearly nine years at Best Buy, quickly earning positions of increasing responsibility and culminating in a highly impactful role accountable for new market development. Gilbert was credited with driving billions of dollars in incremental revenue through transformational initiatives that more directly connected female consumers with the brand.

“From snowmobiles to motorcycles, I’ve been a lifelong rider and have admired Polaris and its product portfolio for a number of years. As the chief customer engagement and growth officer, I’m ready to help Polaris tell its story in order to accelerate growth, broaden its reach and attract new customers to Polaris and the powersports industry,” said Gilbert.

Gilbert is a 2015 Henry Crown Fellow of the Aspen Institute and a member of the Aspen Global Leadership Network. She earned a bachelor’s degree in Accounting and a master's degree in Business Administration from the University of Minnesota.