Brunswick Boat Group Leaders Recognized with Prestigious “Rising Star Award” at METSTRADE Boat Builder Awards
AMSTERDAM – November 20, 2025 – Brunswick Boat Group, a division of Brunswick Corporation (NYSE: BC), today announced that two of its emerging leaders – Vittorio Bichucher, General Manager of NAVAN Boats, and Kevin Fehrenbach, Industrial Designer at Boston Whaler – have been honored with the Rising Star Award at the annual Boat Builder Awards during METSTRADE, the world’s largest trade exhibition for the marine equipment industry.
In a notable first for the Boat Builder Awards, both Rising Star winners hail from the same company and have been instrumental contributors to the same breakthrough project with the development and launch of Brunswick’s newest boat brand, NAVAN.
The judges highlighted Bichucher for his exceptional leadership and technical expertise. As General Manager of NAVAN Boats and a qualified naval architect and marine engineer, Bichucher is leading the development and introduction of an entirely new range of exploration boats across EMEA, North American and ANZ markets. In addition to his brand leadership role, he serves as Senior Director of Strategy for Brunswick Boat Group, where he plays a significant role in shaping the company’s long-term product and market strategy.
Judges also praised Fehrenbach, an industrial designer whose talent has rapidly established him as a rising star within Brunswick’s global portfolio. Fehrenbach has contributed to several Brunswick brands, but his design work on the NAVAN S30 and C30 models was specifically recognized for accelerating the brand’s early success and elevating the modern design language of its product lineup.
“We are incredibly proud of Vittorio and Kevin for receiving this distinguished recognition,” said Brenna Preisser, President of Brunswick Boat Group. “Their talent and drive embody the spirit of innovation that defines Brunswick’s Next Never Rests mentality at Brunswick. Their leadership in shaping NAVAN has played a pivotal role in bringing an entirely new, future-focused brand to the global marketplace.”
To learn more about Brunswick and its award-winning brands, click here.
About Brunswick
Brunswick Corporation (NYSE: BC) is the global leader in marine recreation, delivering innovation that transforms experiences on the water and beyond. Our unique, technology-driven solutions are informed and inspired by deep consumer insights and powered by our belief that “Next Never Rests™”. Brunswick is dedicated to industry leadership, to being the best and most trusted partner to our many customers, and to building synergies and ecosystems that enable us to challenge convention and define the future. Brunswick is home to more than 60 industry-leading brands. In the category of Marine Propulsion, these brands include, Mercury Marine, Mercury Racing, MerCruiser, and Flite. Brunswick’s comprehensive collection of parts, accessories, distribution, and technology brands includes Mercury Parts & Accessories, Land ‘N’ Sea, Lowrance, Simrad, B&G, Mastervolt, Attwood and Whale. Our boat brands are some of the best known in the world, including Boston Whaler, Lund, Sea Ray, Bayliner, Harris Pontoons, Princecraft and Quicksilver. Our service, digital and shared-access businesses include Freedom Boat Club, Boateka and a range of financing, insurance, and extended warranty businesses. While focused primarily on the marine industry, Brunswick also successfully leverages its portfolio of advanced technologies to deliver an exceptional suite of solutions in mobile and industrial applications. Headquartered in Mettawa, IL, Brunswick has approximately 15,000 employees operating in more than 25 countries. In 2024, Brunswick was named America’s Best Large Employers for 2024 by Forbes Magazine for the sixth consecutive year in addition to winning more than 100 awards across the enterprise for the third straight year.
Released November 20, 2025