Greg Tarr - TWICE - Mahwah, N.J. - Michael Troetti has stepped down as president of Sharp Electronics' U.S. marketing company division and has been replaced by Takahiko Tanimoto, from Japan.

Troetti left the company "to pursue other interests," the company said in a brief announcement Monday.

Despite Sharp's global strengths as a manufacturer of advanced LCD TV panels, it encountered a difficult year in the U.S. in 2009, as crippling exchange rates, the sustained recession and aggressive price competition continued to take its toll.

Tanimoto joined SEC as a senior executive VP from Sharp Corporation of Osaka, Japan in November 2009, with executive responsibility of SEC's finished product groups. He will assume operating responsibility for SEMCA.

Tanimoto will continue to report directly to Doug Koshima, CEO and chairman of SEC.