Elkhart Brass has announced the promotion and hiring of several employees, including vice president of marketing and new product development.
Eric Combs
Eric Combs is now the Vice President of Marketing and New Product Development. He was previously Director of Marketing As Elkhart Brass is focused on being a solutions provider, Eric’s new role will be heavily involved with developing market and product strategies that allow Elkhart Brass to better meet the future challenges of our customers.
His industry experience supported by technical and marketing background provide a unique perspective to lead the marketing and product development teams at Elkhart Brass. In Eric’s words, “it’s my goal, and the goal of my team, to bring something truly of value to the industry.”
In 11 years with Elkhart Brass, Eric has held the positions of Product Design Engineer, Product Manager, Marketing manager and Director of Marketing. Eric believes that “The magic is really in understanding the customer in order to develop innovative products.
My job is to think of what others haven’t thought about and to rapidly go from concept to the introduction of new products. When a customer has a need, Elkhart can effectively respond.” Eric and his wife live in Elkhart with their 3 boys.
Derrick Hesser
Derrick Hesser is now the Director of Marketing. He was previously Marketing Segment Manager – Municipal Fire/Industrial.
As the newly promoted Director of Marketing for Elkhart Brass, Derrick’s responsibilities include managing the Elkhart brand, the strategic direction of the company’s outward and inward facing communications and all associated content development and visual design.
In addition, Derrick will be directly responsible for the marketing and communications surrounding all new product launches, domestic and international sales support, tradeshow management, lead generation, plus overseeing all digital and social marketing efforts.
In Derrick’s words, “The primary goal of my position is to create a world-class customer experience for all end users and distributors of Elkhart Brass products.”
His prior experience includes positions as Owner of Connascent and Chicago P-O-P, a sales management position at FHC Marketing and as an engineer at System Sensor (A division of Honeywell).
Derrick and his wife live in LaGrange Park, IL with their 4 children.
Mark Hu
Mark Hu Mark is the newly appointed International Sales Manager responsible for further developing strategic and tactical sales initiatives to expand Elkhart’s presence in Asian markets (China, Japan, Taiwan & Korea). Mark joins the Elkhart team with over 18 years of international sales, marketing and sales channel management experience within the Asia Pacific region including selling manufactured products & equipment through multi-channels (distributors/retailers).
In addition, Mark is fluent in English and Chinese Mandarin.
Jim Burge
Jim Burge will represent Elkhart Brass as the Regional Sales Manager for the Midwest. He comes to Elkhart Brass with 28 years of sales and marketing experience – 18 years which was in the emergency services marketplace. This experience includes service as an IBM field sales representative, eight years as a Director of Marketing (Fire streams segment) three years in senior sales and marketing management (Rescue equipment segment) one year in field sales (PPE segment) and five years as an entrepreneur – having created his own marketing and event management company servicing the fire and law enforcement industries.
Jim created three trade organizations – one for fire equipment manufacturers, one for fire equipment dealers, and one for law enforcement equipment manufacturers.
Additionally, Jim served on the FEMSA Board of Directors and is a graduate of Ball State University, Muncie, IN where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in marketing and political science. Jim resides in Valparaiso, IN and has a daughter at Valparaiso High School and a son at Wabash College in Crawfordsville, IN.
Dennis Berry
Dennis joins the team as the new OEM Account Manager. Dennis brings over 25 years of experience in the fire and emergency services industry and will focus on enhancing relationships and building partnerships directly with Rosenbauer.
With a diverse industry background including success in direct apparatus sales to end users, Dennis also brings a level of expertise in apparatus concept design for fire departments and apparatus builders.
He has held management positions with a major fire truck manufacturer, and most recently was in private business as an industry consultant and equipment specialist Previously held positions include Berry Emergency Services, LLC, General Safety, LLC, Rosenbauer, Mack Trucks and Caterpillar Tractor Company.
Kyle Stoops
Kyle Stoops is the recently appointed to Director of Product Development & Innovation.
Previous position: Director of Engineering, 8 years full time employment with Elkhart Brass Kyle’s focus will be working with customers from an engineering standpoint to gain a better understanding of their end needs.
His responsibility will span all Elkhart Brass lines of business and will ultimately connect what customers really need with providing solutions to achieve those goals. Elkhart’s Product Development Group under Kyle. Proactive development roll, the execution arm of product development.
Kyle’s group, comprised mostly of engineers, is responsible for the design, development, testing, validation and launch of new products. Kyle’s career with Elkhart began as a Design Engineer, then he was promoted to Engineering Segment Manager followed by the management of all Elkhart Brass engineering.
His efforts as the newly appointed Director of Product Development & Innovation will focus on new solutions for Elkhart customers based on customer challenges.
Kyle lives in Goshen with his wife and 1 daughter with a second child on the way.
Ron Sartin
Elkhart Brass expands its domestic sales team with the addition of Ron Sartin. As the OEM account manager for the Midwest region, Sartin will focus on enhancing relationships and building partnerships directly with fire apparatus manufacturers in the Midwest Region, which includes the states of Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Wisconsin.
“Elkhart Brass is proud Ron has chosen to join our team as we continue to grow to better serve our customers,” said Scott Warbritton, director of domestic sales at Elkhart Brass. “We believe Ron’s customer service focus, his broad technical experience and proven drive to excel will benefit future growth and development of this Midwest Territory.”
A United States Air Force Veteran who served in Operation Red Flag, an aerial combat training exercise at Nellis Air Force Base in Nevada, Sartin brings over 25 years of experience to the team with expertise in Engineering, Service, Support and Sales of Scientific and Industrial Instrumentation in the United States, England, Japan and China. Experience includes Applegate/Advance (PEO), Metrohm-Peak, Spectro Analytical Instruments, Suntronic Technology Group and Oxford Instruments, Inc.
Ron also served 5 years in the USAF complete with Honorable Discharge.
Jerry Herbst
Jerry Herbst is Elkhart's Strategic Development Manager; National Accounts & Northeast Region.
In addition to managing key National Accounts, Jerry retains control of the Northeast Territory from Maine to Northern, VA. His additional focus in the Northeast is to further develop client alignments and strengthen existing relationships.
Jerry’s primary focus will continue to be national accounts along with his new responsibilities.
