Sharp’s Sanduski to Retire in March

Will be succeeded as president by SVP Grace Dolan

YSN Staff

Longtime tech industry veteran Jim Sanduski is set to retire as president of Sharp Home Electronics Company of America on March 31.

He will be succeeded by Senior VP Grace Dolan, who joined the company’s sales and marketing arm in August as part of a succession plan.

Sanduski joined Sharp in 2012 after holding leadership positions at Panasonic, HP and Samsung. He was promoted to president of the sales and marketing unit in 2015, and two years later assumed his current post, overseeing all U.S. operations.

Working closely with former Senior VP Peter Weedfald, Sanduski is credited with expanding the market for Sharp’s signature Microwave Drawer Oven and developing a full line of kitchen appliances, making it the only Japanese brand in the U.S. to offer a complete kitchen suite.

Related: BrandSource Partners with Sharp

“Jim has shaped Sharp in meaningful ways, and we are deeply grateful for the strong foundation he leaves behind,”  said Jeff Ashida, chairman/CEO of corporate parent Sharp Electronics. “His commitment to our people, our customers and the business has been instrumental in bringing us to where we are today.” 

His successor, Dolan, joined Sharp from CPG Camp, a brand and marketing training program, where she was a strategic advisor. She also spent five years at Samsung, including three as chief marketing officer for home entertainment, and before that held senior brand positions at Johnson & Johnson.

The changeover represents the culmination of “a thoughtful, yearlong succession planning process by Sanduski and the executive management team to ensure continuity and long-term stability for the organization,” the company said.

In her new role, Dolan will continue to lead the company’s U.S. sales and marketing group and will assume direct oversight of its appliance manufacturing facility in Memphis and its services solutions group, with offices in Memphis and Montvale, N.J. She is tasked with “building winning strategies that identify emerging product opportunities, anticipate industry trends and strengthen relationships with key stakeholders,” Sharp said.

Sanduski will stay on in an advisory role through June to assure a seamless transition, the company said.

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