TROY, Mich. — Friction Materials, maker of Bendix and Jurid branded products, has named Jim Kelley director of sales for its North American operations. Kelley, a 31-year industry veteran, most recently served as director of U.S. Sales for the business unit, which has experienced a number of strategic changes in the last several months. 
“In order for us to continue expanding our North American business, we need an individual whose sole purpose is to drive growth within the region and focus on meeting our customers’ expectations,” said Dr. Rainer Bostel, president of Friction Materials. “Jim is well established in the business, he has a wealth of knowledge on our current customers, and he is an expert at navigating through the complexities of the automotive aftermarket.”
In this new role, Kelley will be responsible for directing the sales team and working closely with global engineering, marketing, manufacturing and supply chain teams to ensure that customer’s expectations are met.
Kelley, who has been with the Bendix brand team since graduating from the University of Texas at Austin in 1977, has focused much of his career in the field of sales. He served as both a regional and national sales manager until being named Director of U.S. Sales in 2007.
