Kevin Grodzki leaves top job at Life Fitness

Despite public kudos from its parent company last month on double-digit sales increases boosting the bottom line, Life Fitness was not exempt from executive management shuffles at Brunswick Corp.(NYSE: BC).

Replacing Kevin Grodzki at president of the Life Fitness division is Peter B. Hamilton, 58, Brunswick vice chairman and president, Brunswick Bowling & Billiards. Hamilton has been in charge of bowling and billiards since 2000, and originally joined Brunswick in 1995 as its senior vice president and chief financial officer.

“A stalwart on our corporate staff, Peter has further distinguished himself as an excellent leader in operations, overseeing the revitalization and expansion of our bowling and billiards operations, including significant improvement of its operating margins and financial performance,” George Buckley, Brunswick chairman and CEO, said in a statement.

Grodzki, 49, who took the president’s post at Brunswick’s fitness segment in 2000, will become president of Mercury Marine’s MerCruiser operations, replacing John Ward.

“Under Kevin’s guidance, Life Fitness has brought more than 100 new products to market,” Buckley said. “He also has been instrumental in ensuring that Life Fitness has the proper global manufacturing footprint to both better serve our markets and customers as well as improve productivity. Kevin has led Life Fitness’ growth in Europe, including the establishment of two new plants in Hungary.”

Grodzki joined Life Fitness in July 2000 from the Crompton Corporation where he was vice president of the company’s Polymer Additives Company. He spent the first 22 years of his career with E.I. DuPont DeNemours and Co. Inc., where he held several senior management positions in the company’s chemical, electronics, medical and printing and publishing divisions in 11 different locations throughout North America, Europe and Asia.

Brunswick said the moves were aimed at “better leveraging its deep management talent and sharing their skills and experiences across all of its market-leading businesses.”

All changes were effective immediately and, according to the company, “transition activities are underway.”