YCA Names Mikkelsen Social Media Manager

Yamaha Corporation of America (YCA) announced that Brandon Mikkelsen has been appointed as the company’s new social media manager, effective immediately.

In his new role, Mikkelsen will expand the company’s presence, developing and implementing strategies dedicated to bolstering online engagement of the music and audio community and enhancing customer engagement to the company’s online portals. He reports to Athan Billias, director, Strategic Product Planning at YCA.

“Brandon brings to Yamaha a superb background to expand and nurture a robust communication channel between our company, consumers, artists, industry professionals and other important audiences,” said Billias. “Social Media plays a pivotal role in our company, and Brandon has the skills necessary to enhance our leading presence in this area.”

Mikkelsen served a total of 13 years at Verizon in communication and marketing roles, most recently as social media manager. Before that he was a product marketing manager for nine years, and a business sales representative. He started his professional career as a retail sales associate for Verizon.

In tandem with his marketing and communications experience, Mikkelsen developed skills in project management, product procurement, negotiation, financial planning modeling and forecasting, and consumer research in bringing products to market while at Verizon. He also assisted in the development of sales force training, sales promotion, pricing strategies, merchandising, inventory forecasting and management, as well as the development of advertising, direct mail and social media marketing strategy.

“From a young age, I’ve played Yamaha instruments, ridden and owned Yamaha motorcycles and ATVs and have appreciated the company’s standard of excellence in everything it does,” noted Mikkelsen. “I look forward to driving the changes to refine and strengthen the world-class social media program at Yamaha.”

Mikkelsen holds a master’s degree in business marketing from Keller Graduate School of Management.