IRVINE, Calif. — Kawasaki Motors Corp. U.S.A. announced that Shigehiko "Scott" Kiyama, company president since 2006, was succeeded  Wednesday by Takeshi Teranishi.

Kiyama has been at Kawasaki since 2002, serving initially as director of planning, marketing and sales. He will return to Japan and assume a new assignment as general manager of the supply chain division for the Consumer Products and Machinery Company of Kawasaki Heavy Industries Ltd. (KHI).

Teranishi, who most recently headed the sales and marketing division at KHI's Consumer Products and Machinery Company, is an experienced executive who has spent several years in the powersports industry. He served in various key planning positions while assigned to Kawasaki's European operations.

Also fluent in French, Teranishi was first named to head the company's office in France, prior to transferring to its European headquarters in the
Netherlands, where he served as general director of the corporate planning division and the marketing division.

Kiyama said the incoming president will bring a "considerable amount of consumer products background, and he is in a good position to quickly adapt to the market here in the U.S."

During Kiyama's tenure at KMC, the company introduced several key products that have helped it increase market share. These class-leading models include the Kawasaki Ninja ZX-14 sportbike, the Jet Ski Ultra 250 personal watercraft, Teryx brand recreation utility vehicles, and the Concours 14 sport touring motorcycle.