DENVER, Colo. – Gates Corp. has hired Jeff Sandt as business development manager for its automotive aftermarket business unit. In this new role, Sandt will head Gates Water Pump initiatives and will identify and cultivate new business opportunities.

With more than 20 years of automotive aftermarket expertise, Sandt specializes in business development, marketing, product management and sales execution. He joins Gates from Truck Pride, where he was director of product management. Sandt held previous positions as VP of sales and marketing for the water pump business at ASC Industries and director of business development for the Internet Auto Dealers Marketing Association (IADMA). He also worked in various sales and project management capacities at CARQUEST.

“Jeff’s knowledge and experience in customer-facing roles will add great value to Gates’ strong Water Pump program,” said Dave Miller, Gates VP of global marketing and branding.

Sandt graduated with an associate’s degree in accounting from Rockland Community College in New York and earned a bachelor’s degree in marketing from Saint Thomas Aquinas College, also in New York.

To learn more about Gates, visit the company’s website.