Dean Burnett, former vice president and general manager for Century Boats, has accepted the position of vice president for Yamaha Marine Group. Burnett succeeds Ben Speciale, who became President of Yamaha Marine Group on May 1.

“Dean has a depth of knowledge that is virtually unmatched in the marine industry,” Speciale said in a statement. “His experience and expertise will be a tremendous asset to Yamaha Marine Group, and I am pleased to welcome him back to the company.”

Burnett began his career with Yamaha in 1987 and spent four years in sales and marketing roles for the company in the California market. After leaving Yamaha in 1991, Burnett held sales, management and marketing positions with Boston Whaler, Grady White, Fenwick Fishing Tackle, Mercury Marine and Yamaha-owned Skeeter Boats.

In 2003, Burnett was named vice president and general manager of Century and Cobia Boats, two boat manufacturers also owned and managed by Yamaha. During his time at Century, he was responsible for overseeing production, marketing, design, engineering and product planning for the company.

“I’m excited and honored to once again join the Yamaha team,” Burnett said in a release announcing his new position. “My experience has taught me that selling quality products, standing behind those products and building long-term customer relationships will lead to success in this industry. In terms of these three things, it just doesn’t get any better than Yamaha. I hope to be of value to this great company as we continue to write its success story.”