Friction One, a manufacturer of brake pads, brake rotors, brake calipers, brake shoes and brake hardware kits, has announced the expansion of its North American aftermarket team with the addition of six new employees.
The six new team members are as follows, with bios provided by the company:
Richard Speros – Vice President of Sales, North America
Richard Speros brings 13 years of automotive aftermarket experience spanning category management, supply chain, and commercial leadership. He has driven revenue growth across national retail accounts and distribution networks, executing disciplined go-to-market strategies and strengthening customer partnerships. A hands-on, results-oriented leader, Speros specializes in customer negotiations, pricing strategy, and cross-functional alignment. He has built high-performing sales teams, translated market insights into actionable growth plans, and delivered consistent commercial performance in competitive retail environments.
Tyler Billie – Vice President of Sales, Account Lead
Tyler Billie joins with extensive experience leading enterprise account strategy and national retail partnerships. Ty previously served as vice president of sales at First Brands Group, where he accelerated revenue growth and strengthened national account partnerships. He led enterprise account strategy, complex contract and tariff negotiations, and long-range commercial planning to enhance profitability and market share. By aligning sales with marketing, supply chain, and product innovation, he helped drive sustainable growth and deepen executive-level relationships.
Ryan Bomaster – Director of Sales, East
Ryan Bomaster brings more than two decades of technical and commercial aftermarket experience. At First Brands’ Group, Bomaster held several senior roles, including strategic account manager, senior director of sales – StopTech, and senior director, national account manager. His career spans field sales, territory leadership, and senior national account management roles across the brake category.
Nate Kinkley – Director of Product Development
Nate Kinkley is an accomplished product development leader with deep expertise managing complex brake portfolios throughout the full product lifecycle. At Brake Parts Inc., he led cross‑functional teams across product development, catalog, marketing, logistics, sales, finance, IT, and supply chain.
Nate most recently served as product director for Brake Parts Inc., where he led major aftermarket and OES launches supporting both domestic and import manufacturers. In this role, he coordinated testing, validation, drawing approvals, PPAP, forecasting, and regulatory filings for multiple product initiatives. He also oversaw a large‑scale distribution relocation and product consolidation project that delivered tens of millions in annual savings, while leading a team responsible for B2B and private‑label program execution.
Expanding into Brake Calipers and Brake Hardware
Friction One said is investing in the calipers and brake hardware categories, which corresponds with the addition of two veterans and leaders in the brake hardware and caliper space.
Scott Sabo – Director of Product Development, Brake Hardware
Scott Sabo is a seasoned manufacturing and quality engineering leader with more than three decades of experience advancing operational excellence, innovation, and product quality within the automotive and advanced manufacturing industries. Known for building high-performing global teams and delivering disciplined growth strategies, Scott has consistently driven measurable improvements in quality performance, speed-to-market, and profitability.
Most recently, Scott served as director of business development – brake hardware and hydraulics at Brake Parts Inc., where he led strategic category expansion, new product commercialization, and cross-functional execution initiatives. His leadership strengthened market positioning, accelerated product launches, and enhanced customer alignment across key distribution channels.
Chad Warnecke – Product Engineer, Brake Hardware
Chad Warnecke is a seasoned automotive engineering professional with more than 20 years of experience in brake hardware design, development, and validation. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering Technology from The University of Toledo and brings extensive expertise in 2-D layouts, prototype development, technical drawings, and bill of materials management. Warnecke is highly proficient in AutoCAD, JD Edwards, and related workflow and inventory systems, with a strong foundation in product research, testing, and cross-functional collaboration.
Chad’s most recent position as brake hardware and hydraulic engineer at Brake Parts Inc., put him at the helm of the design and development of disc and drum brake components. Previously, during his long tenure at International Brake Industries, he managed brake hardware programs from concept through production, supporting major automotive brands and aftermarket customers with engineering documentation, compliance submissions, and product validation testing. Warnecke has a demonstrated history of driving cost efficiencies, improving manufacturing workflows, and strengthening product quality while maintaining strong relationships across customers, suppliers, and internal stakeholders.
Friction One says the expanded team will focus on:
- Enhancing customer communication and responsiveness;
- Strengthening engineering and quality management and field support;
- Accelerating product development, NPI capabilities, and portfolio expansion;
- Improving supply chain coordination and order fulfillment;
- Supporting distributors with technical and product expertise.
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