Joel Kmetz Appointed President for CJR Propulsion USA

Leading propulsion and CFD specialist, CJR Propulsion, is delighted to announce the appointment of Joel Kmetz to the position of President, with responsibility for managing all of the company’s US operations.

Kmetz brings with him 30 years of sales and leadership experience and extensive knowledge of the marine industry. He began his career with General Propeller, one of the US’s largest shaft manufacturers and propeller distributers. He spent 27 years heading up the company’s sales team and establishing an enviable sales record in the process. More recently, Kmetz moved to Halo Ironworks, where he held the position of Vice President for Sales and Marketing for the last two years.

With full responsibility for the leadership and development of CJR’s US operations, Joel will play a critical role in meeting the company's aggressive growth goals, as well as building on the firm's existing reputation for performance and quality, as Mark Russell, Managing Director for CJR Propulsion, explains:


“Joel’s track record, experience, and reputation in the industry are second to none and we are thrilled to have him on board. Attracting someone of Joel’s calibre into the business is a great endorsement of our capabilities, strategy and ambition. He brings with him incredibly strong knowledge and experience which will be vital as we continue our ambitious plans to double in size in the next five years.

“We are already well established as one of Europe’s go-to propulsion suppliers, offering fully optimised, Class-S propellers in just two weeks. However, with Joel as part of team, we now have the opportunity to more effectively convey the very real performance and efficiency benefits our products offer to our US audience.”

Kmetz added: "CJR has a deserved reputation as a leading propulsion specialist and I have witnessed the investments they have made to build world-class design and manufacturing operation at the forefront of the industry. With the team, equipment and infrastructure CJR has in place, we have a tremendous opportunity to promote CJR’s complete line of propellers, flow aligned rudders and their custom fabrication capabilities within the United States, whilst also communicating CJR’s unique values and focus on service delivery – facets of the business I have respected as a competitor for many years.”

Article Author: Richard Broughton