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Posted August 5, 2024

Briggs & Stratton Appoints Third CEO in Four Years

Milwaukee-based engine and generator manufacturer Briggs & Stratton recently announced the appointment of its third chief executive officer in four years.


Kristina Cerniglia, Briggs & Stratton CEO

Kristina Cerniglia served as chief financial officer at Briggs & Stratton for nearly two years, before being elevated to interim CEO in February 2024 upon the departure of former CEO Joe Liotine.

According to media reports, Liotine left for undisclosed reasons. Before serving as CEO at Briggs & Stratton, he served 18 years in senior roles at Whirlpool Corp, including as president and CEO of Whirlpool’s North American business, leading the Global KitchenAid business.

Liotine had been appointed in August 2023 after former CEO Steve Andrews, who had served for three years after the company filed for bankruptcy in 2020, resigned for personal reasons.

Cerniglia has nearly 30 years of experience leading organizations in the manufacturing industry. 

"Kristina has the full support, confidence and trust of the board,” said Michael Psaros, chairperson of Briggs & Stratton's Board of Directors. “Kristina possesses the leadership skills and experience needed to accelerate the company's growth strategy and position Briggs & Stratton to achieve its full potential.”

He noted that the company's progress during Cerniglia’s initial tenure as CEO was impressive across every metric. She is expected to continue to focus on execution and growth, driving rapid performance improvements to better serve customers.

“She will continue to execute the company vision and mission to deliver profitable growth," Psaros said.

Before Briggs & Stratton, Cerniglia was the CFO and senior vice president with Hillenbrand, Inc. after spending over 23 years in various financial leadership roles with Stanley Black & Decker and United Technology Corporation.

"I am honored and humbled to step into the role of CEO at Briggs & Stratton,” she said. “Our organization has a legacy of over 116 years of success because of its innovative and passionate employees.”

Cerniglia said the company is still committed to delivering innovative products and best-in-class service to its customers.

“I look forward to leading our next growth phase and expanding our mission and purpose to serve our customers, employees, partners and communities," she said.

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