Steve Andrews, who has been CEO at Briggs & Stratton since the company emerged from bankruptcy in September 2020, has left the company for personal reasons, the Milwaukee Business Journal reported. The Wauwatosa, Wis.-based company named an interim CEO — Kristina Cerniglia, who is senior vice president and chief financial officer. Andrews replaced former Briggs & Stratton chairman, president and CEO Todd Teske. At the time, the news was surprising because KPS previously agreed to retain Teske and other top Briggs executives after the bankruptcy transaction closed. Prior to his appointment at Briggs & Stratton, Andrews led International Equipment Solutions, which is based in Oak Brook, Ill., starting in 2011. As of September 2020, International Equipment Solutions operated 14 manufacturing facilities and four custom services locations with approximately 2,700 employees worldwide. In March 2019, KPS completed the sale of International Equipment Solutions’ attachments division to Black & Decker. During Andrews' tenure at Briggs & Stratton, the company accelerated diversification from its legacy internal-combustion products with newly electrified product lines and the acquisition of SimpliPhi Power, a California-based manufacturer of energy storage and management systems. Meanwhile, Briggs exited a business that sold portable generators, pressure washers and snow throwers to mass retailers and is phasing out the last production lines at its headquarters Wauwatosa plant. Both actions resulted in layoffs of Milwaukee-area employees. (Subscription required.)
