August 25, 2022

A self-proclaimed kitchen appliance lover with big-brand, product launch and direct dealer and sales channel experience has taken over the marketing reigns at Beko Home Appliances, the fast-growing American subsidiary of Arçelik, one of the world’s largest home appliance manufacturers.

Justin Reinke, a 22-year integrated marketing veteran, has been named to fill the newly-created position of vice president of marketing for Beko U.S., reporting to president Zack Elkin who today announced an expansion and reorganization of the Beko marketing department to allow for continued product development and sales success.

Introduced to U.S. homeowners in 2016 following a 67-year history as one of the top appliance brands in Europe, and the most sustainable brand globally, Beko specializes in cooking, cooling and cleaning appliances equipped with proprietary technologies that empower customers to live healthier, more sustainable lives.

Reinke will assume the lead for consumer and industry marketing duties from Beko vice president of product management Salih (Sazi) Bugay, who will now concentrate exclusively on product design, development and strategy and in the product build-out of the company’s Healthy Kitchen initiative. Working with Elkin, U.S. brand manager Yaprak Barut and senior channel and product marketing manager Julie Howerter, Reinke will be responsible for all facets of marketing, including advertising, consumer and industry communications, PR, social media and CRM, and will direct Beko’s creative, PR and media agencies tasked with launching the Beko brand in the U.S.

Reinke will also work with Beko vice president of sales Peter Blackwell as the company aggressively expands its U.S. dealer and retailer network.

“Still new to many U.S. homeowners, Beko is at a crucial stage in its domestic growth,” said Elkin. “We need a versatile appliance expert with both classic brand-building experience and the relationships and track record to help grow our dealer and retailer network,” said Elkin. “Justin delivers on this and yet still remains familiar with the needs of the trade and the end user – which is an exceedingly rare combination in this business.”

“He’s also proven that he can go big and think outside the conventional industry box, when needed, to take an under-the-radar brand like Beko to the next level.”

Reinke comes to Beko from TruGreen, the country’s largest lawn and yard care provider, where he led integrated marketing efforts as vice president of product management, brand marketing and PR. Previously, as director of brand and product marketing for Bridgestone, he helped grow the Bridgestone and Firestone brands through new marketing campaigns and innovative product launches.

Before that, Reinke spent 14 years in the appliance industry, most recently at Samsung Electronics, where he was director of product marketing for Samsung’s U.S. refrigeration category. He also led refrigeration marketing and sales at Whirlpool Corporation for more than a decade, starting as a senior buyer and working his way up to become refrigeration product and category director.

“It’s not often that you get the chance to grow a brand that has the global pedigree and technological expertise to legitimately shake up the industry,” said Reinke. “Beko committed itself to health and sustainability in the appliance space long before it was trendy, and is backed by a leadership team in the U.S. and Europe that is dedicated to a larger purpose. I love appliances, and this is an appliance story that deserves to be told.”

Reinke received his bachelor’s degree in marketing from Michigan State University and an MBA from the University of Notre Dame. A resident of Brentwood, Tenn., he will split his time between the Nashville area and Beko’s recently expanded U.S. headquarters, warehouse and parts inventory complex in Bolingbrook, Ill.

Reinke is married with three children. Outside of work, he has served on the boards of Habitat for Humanity of Williamson County and is a member of marketing advisory councils for Notre Dame and the Association of National Advertisers.