10 Brunswick operations leaders
Jerry Cegielski, Vice President Operations - Navico Group, heads this set of Brunswick operations leaders, which also includes the operations head of Blue Sea Systems, a senior director for the Aluminum Boat Group and directors of operational excellence and EMEA operations. A reader can learn how operations leaders work at Brunswick from people who have held the role.
Professionals to explore
Benoit Renard
LinkedInExperience: Director Operations Europe, Middle East & Africa · Brunswick Corporation
Benoit Renard was Director Operations Europe, Middle East & Africa at Brunswick Corporation from October 2022 to May 2025 and has been General Manager, Lankhorst Taselaar BV & Lankhorst Hohorst GmbH at Brunswick Corporation since May 2025, based in Liège, Belgium. Benoit Renard was Senior Manager, Distribution Center EMEA at Brunswick Corporation from 2019 to 2022 and Head of Operations (Contract Logistics) at Weerts Supply Chain (WSC) from 2018 to 2019.
Craig Smith
LinkedInExperience: Vice President of Operations - Blue Sea Systems (a division of Brunswick Corporation) · Navico Group
Craig Smith has been Vice President of Operations - Blue Sea Systems (a division of Brunswick Corporation) at Navico Group since July 2022, based in Bellingham, Washington. Craig Smith held the same Blue Sea Systems operations title under Advanced Systems Group (ASG) from 2019 to 2022 and Power Products LLC from 2018 to 2019, and was Vice President of Operations at Blue Sea systems from 2005 to 2014.
Jeff Cavalier
LinkedInExperience: Director of Operations · Brunswick Corporation
Jeff Cavalier has been Director of Operations at Brunswick Corporation since August 2006, based in Muskegon, Michigan, and the profile headline reads VP of Aftermarket & Operations. Jeff Cavalier also lists Logistics Operations Manager at Brunswick Corporation from 2006 to 2010 and was Transportation Resource at NWNA from 2004 to 2006.
Jerry Cegielski
LinkedInExperience: Vice President Operations - Navico Group · Brunswick Corporation
Jerry Cegielski has been Vice President Operations - Navico Group at Brunswick Corporation since January 2025, based in the United States, and the profile cites quality systems, supply chain and manufacturing management experience. Jerry Cegielski also lists Vice President - Operations Excellence at Mercury Marine from 2023 to 2025 and was General Manager Mercury Castings & Component Operations at Mercury Marine from 2018 to 2023.
Nathan Hanson
LinkedInExperience: Senior Director of Operations, Aluminum Boat Group · Brunswick Corporation
Nathan Hanson has been Senior Director of Operations, Aluminum Boat Group at Brunswick Corporation since May 2026, based in Nisswa, Minnesota. Nathan Hanson was Director of Manufacturing Operations and Distribution at Mann Lake Bee & Ag Supply from 2024 to 2026, Vice President of Central Operations at Polaris Inc. from 2022 to 2024 and Director Of Operations at Polaris Inc. from 2017 to 2022.
Nathan Schwendeman
LinkedInExperience: Director of Operational Excellence · Brunswick Corporation
Nathan Schwendeman has been Director of Operational Excellence at Brunswick Corporation since August 2023, based in New York Mills, Minnesota. Nathan Schwendeman was Sr Blackbelt Technology Leader at Brunswick Corporation from 2018 to 2023, Continuous Improvement Manager there from 2012 to 2018 and Lead Raytheon Six Sigma(TM) Expert (Blackbelt) at Raytheon from 2007 to 2012.
Nicolas Sterckx
LinkedInExperience: Operations Director EMEA · Brunswick Marine in EMEA
Nicolas Sterckx has been Operations Director EMEA at Brunswick Marine in EMEA since November 2025, based in Aarschot, Belgium. Nicolas Sterckx was Operations Manager at RenoWindow from 2023 to 2025, Global Continuous Improvement Director at 3D Systems Corporation from 2022 to 2023 and Director of Manufacturing at 3D Systems Corporation from 2018 to 2022.
Rich Kotch
LinkedInExperience: Senior Director of Operations · Brunswick Boat Group
Rich Kotch is a former Senior Director of Operations at Brunswick Boat Group, a role held from June 2020 to March 2025, and has been Assistant General Manager at Tyler Pipe and Coupling since March 2025, based in Springfield, Missouri. Rich Kotch was Vice President of Operations, Windows West at JELD-WEN, Inc. from 2018 to 2020 and Director of Global Operations at JBT Corporation from 2014 to 2018.
Thad Pearson
LinkedInExperience: Director of Operational Excellence · Brunswick Corporation
Thad Pearson has been Director of Operational Excellence at Brunswick Corporation since February 2021, based in Fort Wayne, Indiana, and the profile headline lists manufacturing engineering, maintenance and facilities in the role. Thad Pearson was Plant Manager at Rain Bird Corporation from 2018 to 2020 and Senior Director Manufacturing Engineering at Enphase Energy from 2012 to 2018.
Waldemar Sikora
LinkedInExperience: Director of Operation in Poland · Brunswick Corporation
Waldemar Sikora has been Director of Operation in Poland at Brunswick Corporation since January 2008, based in the Warsaw Metropolitan Area, and the profile headline reads Operation Manager Poland at Brunswick Marine. Waldemar Sikora was Supply Chain Manager at British American Tobacco Polska S.A. from 2004 to 2008 and worked in Brand Management at BAT from 1994 to 2004.
Choose the right perspective
Match the person's scope, such as marine electronics, boat building, lean and operational excellence programs or a European region, to the decision you face. Check when each role started or ended to judge how recent the person's view is.
Questions to take into the conversation
- 01What did you change first when you took on your operations role, and why?
- 02How do you plan plant capacity for seasonal and cyclical marine demand?
- 03What has your own work taught you about running lean programs across boat and electronics plants?
Reaching Brunswick operations leaders
How can I contact one of these Brunswick operations leaders?
Pick one of the 10 people on this page and choose "Book a paid call", or describe your project to find others. You offer a fee for a 15-minute call or a written answer, Instant Expert finds the person's work email and sends the invitation, and they decide whether to accept. The list covers 4 companies, including Brunswick Corporation, Navico Group and Brunswick Marine in EMEA, based on profile data retrieved on October 24, 2026. Being listed here doesn't mean someone has agreed to take calls.
How much does it cost to reach Brunswick operations leaders?
You choose the offer, starting at $5 per person. The offer is what the person receives, and Instant Expert's fee is added on top, so a $100 offer costs you $125. The fee is 20% of what you pay. You're charged only when the person books the call or sends the answer.
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Can an AI agent ask one of these Brunswick operations leaders a question?
Yes. An agent with a USDC wallet on Base can ask one question without an Instant Expert account. It names the person, for example by the LinkedIn URL on this page, and pays per ask over x402 (HTTP 402). The person answers in writing or by voice note, and if nobody answers within 7 days, the payment goes back to the wallet automatically. Claude and ChatGPT can do the same through the Instant Expert connector: setup is at /docs/mcp for Claude and /docs/chatgpt for ChatGPT. x402 docs
About this directory
This is a professional research starting point based on business profile data retrieved on . Titles and companies reflect that source snapshot; roles marked former had ended by then. Check the linked profiles for current details. Inclusion does not imply Instant Expert membership or availability.
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