Marcia Kull News

Marcia Kull has been named President of Torqeedo Group, Inc., and will direct global sales and strategy for the electric and hybrid marine propulsion systems manufacturer. Kull will oversee Torqeedo’s growth activities in the Americas, EMEA and Asia-Pacific regions. The newly created position is an expansion of the current management team. She will assume her new role on May 1, 2017. Kull joins Torqeedo from Volvo Penta of the Americas, where she was most recently Vice President, Marine Sales.

The National Marine Manufacturers Association (NMMA) has presented the 14th consecutive annual Customer Satisfaction Index (CSI) award to Volvo Penta for its gasoline sterndrive engines. The CSI awards, presented at the Miami International Boat Show Feb. 17, recognize boat and engine manufacturers for excellence in customer satisfaction. Volvo Penta was the only company to win a CSI award in the sterndrive category this year. The marine industry CSI award signifies that Volvo Penta achieved and maintained a standard of 90 percent or higher in customer satisfaction, based on surveys of customers who purchased a new boat or engine during the period from Jan. 1 to Dec. 31, 2016.

Susan Bonivich, OEM/dealer sales manager for Volvo Penta of the Americas, was named the 2016 Darlene Briggs Woman of the Year at the Marine Dealer Conference & Expo today in Orlando, Fla. She is the second woman in the company to earn the distinction within the past 10 years. Presented by the MRAA Educational Foundation and Boating Industry magazine, the award is named for industry leader Darlene Briggs and is given annually to an outstanding woman who demonstrates leadership, commitment and the advancement of women in the boating business. “Susan Bonivich represents the spirit of what is great about this industry,” said Ron Huibers, president, Volvo Penta of the Americas. “She develops and nurtures relationships that are time and event tested.

The new boat being built for the Virginia Pilots Association joins the increasing number of pilot boats powered by Volvo Penta IPS. The 55-ft. vessel, designed by C. Raymond Hunt Associates and built by Gladding-Hearn Shipbuilding, will run on twin D13 900 hp U.S. EPA Tier 3 engines with IPS3 drives. “Stability, reliability, support, speed and efficiency – these are the five criteria that we used to select the engine for the new pilot boat,” said Frank Rabena, a 17-year pilot and chairman of the Association’s pilot boat committee. Research began in 2011 when Rabena and the Association’s port engineer, Mark Kampfmueller, visited the Volvo Penta facility in Sweden where they saw the IPS system firsthand and realized its potential.

Hampton Roads Transit (HRT) has specified twin Volvo Penta 13-liter 400 hp diesel engines to power its two new Elizabeth River ferries – River Ferry IV and V – due to enter service later this year. The ferries provide daily, round-trip connections between the downtowns of Norfolk and Portsmouth in southeastern Virginia. The two aluminum 150-passenger pedestrian ferries were designed by BMT Group and are under construction at Armstrong Marine’s shipyard in Swansboro, N.C. One is expected to be delivered before the end of 2016 and the second is slated for delivery during the first half of 2017.

Volvo Penta of the Americas will showcase its new-generation mechanical controls for gasoline sterndrives at IBEX 2016. The new controls feature ergonomic levers and grips, tactile switch functions and sleek aesthetics. “In line with our Easy Boating strategy, the new ergonomic controls will make for easier boat driving by operators of all genders with hands of all sizes,” said Marcia Kull, vice president of marine sales for Volvo Penta of the Americas. The new controls will be available for all OEMs in January. The mounting scheme and cable nesting will be nearly identical to the current controls, minimizing changeover costs to boatbuilders. Built-in features include power trim and tilt, neutral safety switch, neutral lock out, neutral warm up and lanyard-style safety stop switch.

A fisheries research vessel operated by the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources (SCDNR), was recently repowered with new eco-friendly fuel-efficient engines from Volvo Penta. The vessel R/V Palmetto underwent an overhaul at the Metal Trades shipyard near Charleston, S.C., and was put back into service in July. As part of the overhaul project, the original 1980s-era diesels were replaced by a pair of new Volvo Penta D16 MH600 Tier 3 engines with ZF W650 gears. The installation also included electronic controls and a seven-inch display screen in the wheelhouse.

Dave Brown has joined Volvo Penta of the Americas as director of commercial marine sales. In this new position, Brown will provide strategic and administrative direction and leadership to support overall segment growth. His primary focus will be to secure and maintain effective business relationships with governmental agencies, OEMs, dealers and customers in the marine commercial engine market. He will report to Marcia Kull, vice president of marine sales for Volvo Penta of the Americas. Brown has a 17-year background in business development and sales.

When it came time to replace the old engines in his whale-watching vessel, Capt. Joe Nazar chose Volvo Penta and has enjoyed the benefits of improved fuel efficiency, lower emissions, reduced noise levels and better performance ever since. Nazar’s 64-ft. catamaran, Kitty Kat, was retrofitted with a pair of Volvo Penta D11 625 diesel engines in April, replacing the existing 12-liter Tier 2 engines. The installation was performed at Bay Marine Boatworks in collaboration with Helmut’s Marine Service, an authorized Volvo Penta Power Center in San Francisco.

Pacific Power Group (PPG) is powering a new custom-built vessel for whale watching with Volvo Penta engines, engine monitoring and throttle controls that will improve the experience for Prince of Whales passengers. PPG’s marine team is powering the Salish Sea Dream with four Volvo Penta D13-700 Inboard turbo diesel engines that will each supply 700 HP at 2,300 RPM, providing faster acceleration and better ability to maintain high top speed. This allows Prince of Whales to offer passengers greater whale watching experiences, additional viewing opportunities and extended tours.

Marcia Kull, vice president of marine sales for Volvo Penta of the Americas, has been selected by the Manufacturing Institute as one of the top women in U.S. manufacturing for 2016. Kull and the other honorees will be recognized at the fourth annual Women in Manufacturing STEP (Science, Technology, Engineering and Production) Ahead Award at a gala dinner April 21 in Washington, D.C. The STEP Ahead Awards celebrate those women who have demonstrated excellence and leadership in their careers in all levels of the manufacturing industry, from the factory floor to the C-suite.

Volvo Penta of the Americas today announced the appointment of Western Branch Diesel as an authorized marine Power Center. The company will be responsible for sales and service of Volvo Penta marine engines in Virginia, West Virginia and Ohio. Founded in 1946, Western Branch Diesel is headquartered in Portsmouth, Va., just a few miles from Volvo Penta’s headquarters in Chesapeake, Va. The company has facilities in 10 locations in five states, with more than 280 employees, including over 150 technicians. Western Branch Diesel services major brands of diesel engines, transmissions and gensets for marine, on-highway, construction, power generation, oil/gas, mining and other industrial sectors.

Volvo Penta today announced a new extended service interval for its commercial marine diesel engines. “We recognize that minimizing downtime is a critical requirement for commercial marine operators,” said Marcia Kull, Vice President-Marine Sales, for Volvo Penta of the Americas. Volvo Penta launched its oil analysis program in 2014 to make it easy to obtain expert diagnostics of engine oil. A factory authorized oil analysis provides a basic driveline health check yielding a wealth of information on what’s happening inside an engine. Oil samples are sent to a Volvo Penta authorized laboratory, where technicians perform a rigorous full-spectrum analysis. The laboratory sends back a complete report by email within 24-48 hours with recommendations for actions.

Capt. Rick Croson has been running a successful fishing charter business from North Carolina’s Wrightsville Beach for more than 10 years. When the time came to order a new boat, he made the unusual decision to request a diesel sterndrive power package. He couldn’t be happier with the results – in terms of fuel economy, speed, quiet operation and no exhaust fumes, as well as a clean transom for fishing astern. Croson started his charter business with a 20-ft. Onslow Bay mostly for inshore fishing, and later moved up to a 27-ft. Onslow Bay with twin 225 outboards for offshore work, but he was dissatisfied with the fuel economy and longevity of the outboards to meet the rigors of his busy charter schedule. He typically runs day trips out to the Gulf Stream – 60 miles each way.

Volvo Penta has developed a series of interceptor stabilization systems optimized for workboats, patrol boats and other commercial vessels. The stabilizers provide three-axis trimming to meet dynamic acceleration and cruising phases of operation. The system can be controlled either automatically or manually. In the automatic mode, it is activated by boat speed. The Volvo Penta interceptors are electrically controlled with no hydraulics. The trim blades generate lift and drag that translate into moments on the boat in all three axes depending on action.

Metal Shark now offers Volvo Penta diesel sterndrives in its 29 Defiant patrol boats for customers requiring optimum performance, durability and maneuverability. The 29 Defiant can now be ordered with twin Volvo Penta D4-225 sterndrives. The first boat has just been placed into service by the New York City Department of Environmental Protection. The Volvo Penta D4-225 is a four-cylinder 3.7-liter engine designed specifically for commercial marine applications. The electronically controlled common rail fuel system provides the performance required for applications requiring fast acceleration and high top speed. The Volvo Penta DPH Duoprop robust high-speed drives are designed to handle massive torque forces while providing high efficiency at all speeds, safe handling and easy maneuvering.

Volvo Penta of the Americas says it has appointed Johnson & Towers as an authorized Power Center for the U.S. Mid-Atlantic region. The company will be responsible for sales and service of Volvo Penta leisure & commercial marine engines for New York, New Jersey, Maryland, Delaware, eastern Pennsylvania and Bermuda. Johnson & Towers is a family-owned business focused on distribution and service of heavy diesel engines and transmissions for on-highway, off-highway, marine and power generation markets since 1926.

Volvo Penta's poweful new V8-380 marine diesel engine debuts at Ft. Lauderdale International Boat Show. “This new-generation, high-performance engine has raised the bar for marine engines and follows a long history of innovation for Volvo Penta,” said Ron Huibers, president of Volvo Penta Americas. “The amount of positive feedback from our customers and the recent 2012 Innovation Award establishes that we have a winner. “Not only does this engine provide more power and use less fuel, it makes boating fun,” said Marcia Kull, vice president marine sales Volvo Penta of the Americas. “Boating provides a respite from the daily routine. Engine designation.................................... Propeller shaft power kW (hp).................. Max. engine speed, rpm............................