Akebono Brake Corporation has appointed Erick Kinnunen as National Sales Manager, succeeding Mike Eldard, who is retiring after a five-decade career in the automotive aftermarket. The Farmington Hills, Michigan-based brake supplier announced the leadership change on May 6, 2026. Kinnunen joined Akebono in 2024 as a Regional Sales Manager and will now lead national sales initiatives across the aftermarket channel. Eldard had served as Akebono’s National Sales Manager since 2020.
Highlights
- Erick Kinnunen named National Sales Manager, formalizing a role he had been operating in alongside other regional appointments
- Mike Eldard retires after more than 50 years in the aftermarket, including tenures at Moog and Akebono
- Tommy Rivera, Director of Aftermarket, oversaw the leadership transition
- Akebono continues to manufacture its ProACT, EURO, and Severe Duty brake pad lines for the U.S. aftermarket
A Five-Decade Aftermarket Career Concludes
Eldard’s career began at age 16 in an auto parts store, where he was promoted to assistant manager at 17 and was managing his own store by 19. In 1983, he moved into supplier-side sales with Moog, beginning what would become a four-decade run across major aftermarket brands.
He joined Akebono in earlier regional roles, including Pacific Northwest District and Western Region sales manager, and held account management responsibility for Genuine Parts Company and NAPA. He was elevated to National Sales Manager of the aftermarket in 2020, taking on leadership of all regional and district sales managers across the United States, Canada, Mexico, and Latin America.
“Mike’s contributions to the automotive aftermarket and the relationships he built throughout his career have made a lasting impact,” said Tommy Rivera, Director of Aftermarket. “His professionalism, industry knowledge, and passion for supporting customers and partners will be greatly missed. We thank Mike for his years of service and wish him all the best in retirement.”
Kinnunen Steps Up After Two Years at Akebono
Kinnunen joined Akebono in 2024 as a Regional Sales Manager, bringing 40 years of aftermarket sales, training, and management experience to the company at the time of his hire. His earlier coverage in trade press emphasized a focus on distributor and service-center training as a driver of profitable sales — a thread he is expected to carry into the national role.
In his new position, Kinnunen will lead national sales initiatives and work with Akebono’s regional sales team and distribution partners across the aftermarket channel. The promotion is the latest in a series of sales-organization moves at Akebono. The company appointed Todd Hammond as Regional Sales Manager for the Northeast earlier this year, with Hammond reporting into Kinnunen — an arrangement that signaled the National Sales Manager succession before this week’s formal announcement.
“We are pleased to welcome Erick into this role,” Rivera said. “His leadership and understanding of the aftermarket will help drive continued success for Akebono and our partners.”
Aftermarket Pad Business Anchors the Strategy
Akebono’s U.S. aftermarket business continues to run on its Ultra-Premium Disc Brake Pad lines — ProACT, EURO, and Severe Duty — manufactured at the company’s Glasgow, Kentucky plant. The aftermarket channel sits separately from the supplier’s OE business and has been a consistent focus area for sales-team investment, with multiple regional appointments under Eldard’s tenure and now under Kinnunen.
Akebono Brake Industry Co., Ltd. (TSE: 7238), the Japanese parent founded in 1929, operates R&D and manufacturing sites in Japan, the United States, Europe, and Asia.
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