BROADVIEW, Ill. – The Robert Bosch North American Aftermarket Division has announced changes to its sales organization in the United States. The company is in the process of launching the next phase of its Independent Aftermarket (IAM) strategy in North America.
 
“Over the past five years, we have successfully integrated a number of acquisitions, changed over many of our internal systems, and invested in the recruitment and training of associates. All of this can now be leveraged against our position as the No. 1 global OE (original equipment) parts supplier,” said Odd Joergenrud, regional president North America, Bosch Automotive Aftermarket. “At a time when many industry suppliers are struggling, Bosch is positioning itself for tremendous growth.”
 
To lead the sales organization into this next phase of strategy implementation, Joergenrud has named Robert "Bobby" Bloom to the position of senior vice president, Automotive Aftermarket, U.S.
 
“Bobby came aboard two years ago and has quickly gained the respect of the Bosch North American Aftermarket leadership team by learning the industry, building relationships with key customers and investing in the development of his team,” said Joergenrud.
 
Bloom came to Bosch in 2011 as vice president of independent aftermarket sales from a background that included 15 years with Black & Decker and two years in the private equity industry. He is a native of San Diego, Calif., and graduated from Vanguard University in Costa Mesa, Calif., with a BA in finance. In 2008, he earned an MBA from the University of Southern California.
 
In his role, Bloom leads sales, customer service, digital and channel marketing, category management, CARGO sales and operations, technical sales and service, and the Bosch Car Service (BCS) network, which serves nearly 2,000 BCS locations in North America.
 
To support the anticipated growth and new initiatives, Bloom has implemented the following restructuring of the sales leadership in the U.S. market:
 
Chuck Kerrigan – Vice President of Channel Sales, Retail
Kerrigan is a veteran of the Bosch organization and will lead all sales and business development activities for key retail channel partners. He joined Bosch in 1989 as a sales representative, and has held several positions with increasing levels of responsibility during his tenure, including sales manager, director of sales and most recently, director regional business unit leader – filtration, North America. Kerrigan holds a BS in marketing from Southern Illinois University and an MBA from North Central College in Naperville, Ill.
 
Justin Johnson – Vice President of Channel Sales – AutoZone
Johnson’s 23-year background at Bosch includes responsibility for OES sales at Ford Motor Co. as well as an extensive background within the independent aftermarket in the U.S. His blend of experience makes him especially well-suited to lead the sales and business development activity, as well as further the strategic partnership between Bosch and AutoZone. Johnson holds a BA in marketing from DePaul University and an MBA from the University of Notre Dame.
 
Thomas Novak – Vice President of Channel Sales, Heavy Duty/Diesel
Novak has been involved in the heavy-duty diesel and electrical industries for more than 40 years. He joined Bosch as a diesel sales specialist in 1977, and has since advanced to various sales and managerial positions at Bosch in both the OES and independent aftermarket heavy-duty diesel channels. He also is a board director for the Association of Diesel Specialists (ADS), and holds a BA in accounting from DePaul University.
 
Tim Bruin – Vice President of Channel Sales, Traditional
Bruin came to Bosch in 2009 as a sales manager, bringing with him 30 years of professional aftermarket experience. In this new role, he is positioned to leverage that experience to gain share within the traditional base of wholesale distribution, product distribution groups and key specialty customers. Bruin is currently a member of both the AWDA Manufacturers Advisory Council and the Sales Council, and has served on the AWDA Board of Governors. He holds a BS in business administration from Illinois State University and an MBA from Loyola University of Chicago. He also holds the designations AAP and Leadership 2010 (now known as Leadership 2.0) from the University of the Aftermarket.
 
Bloom commented, “I am very appreciative of the Bosch Automotive Aftermarket organization and the confidence that they have shown in me. Each of these channel VPs has unique qualifications for his particular area that will provide the necessary leadership to grow our business and our strategic customer relationships. The best days of the Bosch organization are still ahead and I am privileged to lead this newly-structured team of highly-qualified aftermarket professionals into the future.”