Champion Homes, Inc. (NYSE: SKY) has announced several leadership appointments in connection with the retirement of Joseph Kimmell, executive vice president of operations, effective June 26. Kimmell will remain available on a consulting basis through the end of August to help ensure a smooth transition, according to a press release.
The following appointments reflect the company’s planned approach to succession and leadership alignment as Champion continues to evolve its operating model across 9,300 team members and 129 retail and manufacturing locations:
- Wade Lyall has been appointed Chief Sales Officer
- John Kastanek has been appointed Chief Customer Experience Officer
- Andrew Houser has been appointed Senior Vice President, Manufacturing
“We are excited to announce these leadership appointments, which reflect the depth of talent across Champion and are the result of a thorough succession planning process,” said Tim Larson, president and CEO of Champion Homes. “Wade, John and Andrew bring valuable experience and a deep understanding of our business. By aligning leadership across customer experience, sales and manufacturing, we are strengthening our ability to serve customers, support our partners and execute across the business. With this team in place, we believe Champion is well-positioned for its next phase of growth.”
Larson concluded, “We are grateful for Joe’s many contributions to Champion over nearly three decades. He has played an important leadership role across the company and our manufacturing organization, including developing a strong team, and we appreciate his long-standing commitment to Champion and support in helping ensure a smooth transition.”
About Wade Lyall
With more than 25 years of industry leadership, Lyall has a deep understanding of the company’s operations, having originally joined Champion as a Sales Manager. He previously served as General Manager at two plants in Georgia from 2002 to 2005; Regional Vice President of Sales and Marketing from 2005 to 2012; Regional Vice President of the South Region beginning in 2012; and Vice President of Sales and Business Development beginning in 2015. Lyall received a B.S. in Business Administration from East Carolina University.
About John Kastanek
Kastanek has more than 25 years of leadership experience spanning product management, engineering and customer operations across manufacturing, consumer products and connected technology. In his current role as Vice President of Marketing and Customer Operations at Champion Homes, he leads enterprise marketing, digital engagement, customer operations, go‑to‑market strategy and sales enablement. His responsibilities include customer insights and feedback systems that inform product, engineering, manufacturing and operational decisions across the organization.
Before joining Champion, Kastanek spent 17 years at Polaris Industries in senior roles across service engineering, product management, global service operations and connected strategy. Kastanek received a B. S. in Engineering from the University of Minnesota and an MBA from UMN Carlson School of Management.
About Andrew Houser
Houser has spent more than 25 years of leadership experience across manufacturing and retail operations. In his current role as President of Retail Operations for Champion Homes, he oversees retail operations and the manufacturing facilities that make up Regional Builders Group.
Houser joined Champion as part of the company’s Regional Homes acquisition, which closed in October 2023, and has brought valuable insights to the broader Champion organization, including through key initiatives in the Texas region. Houser received his M.A. in Organizational Management from Dallas Baptist University.
