Matthew Levatich to become new President, CEO for Harley-Davidson, Inc.

MILWAUKEE (WITI) -- Harley-Davidson named on Wednesday, February 4th Matthew Levatich to succeed Keith Wandell as President and Chief Executive Officer of Harley-Davidson, Inc. upon Wandell's retirement on May 1st. Right now, Levatich is President and Chief Operating Officer for Harley-Davidson Motor Company.

Levatich joined Harley-Davidson in 1994. Prior to becoming President and COO of Harley-Davidson Motor Company in May 2009, he held wide-ranging roles in the U.S. and Europe. Past leadership roles include Vice President and General Manager of Harley-Davidson’s Parts and Accessories business, Vice President of Materials Management, and President and Managing Director of the Company’s former MV Agusta business. In addition to an undergraduate degree in mechanical engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Levatich holds a graduate degree in engineering management and an MBA from Northwestern University. He has served on the board of directors of Emerson, a St. Louis-based global manufacturing and technology company, since 2012.

In a news release issued on Wednesday, Levatich said the following:

“It’s a great honor to become the next CEO of this iconic company. As we look to the future, we believe there are tremendous opportunities to build on our many strengths. Harley-Davidson is one of the world’s most-powerful and revered brands, and through our strategies to provide unrivaled products and experiences for our customers, we aim to extend our reach and work to realize our full potential as a growing global company.”