Mark Van Genderen Promoted to Chief Operating Officer
Chief Human Resources Officer Linda Evans to Retire at Year-End
Shannan Vlieger Promoted to Senior Vice President, People and Culture
MILWAUKEE, Sept. 17, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Douglas Dynamics, Inc. (: PLOW), North America’s premier manufacturer and upfitter of work truck attachments and equipment, today announced several senior management team changes. Mark Van Genderen has been appointed as Chief Operating Officer (COO) of Douglas Dynamics, and President of Work Truck Attachments, effective immediately. Chief Human Resources Officer, Linda Evans, has announced her intent to retire on January 2, 2025, and Shannan Vlieger has been named Senior Vice President, People and Culture, effective October 1, 2024.
Mark Van Genderen Appointed Chief Operating Officer and President of Work Truck Attachments
Mark Van Genderen has been promoted to Chief Operating Officer of Douglas Dynamics, effective immediately. He will also retain his title and responsibilities as President of Work Truck Attachments. Mr. Van Genderen will oversee both of the company’s reporting segments, Work Truck Attachments and Work Truck Solutions.
Mark joined Douglas Dynamics in 2020 and has served as President, Work Truck Attachments, President of Commercial Snow & Ice Control (CSI), and Vice President, Strategic and Business Development over the past four years. Mark brings a combined 33 years of professional experience. Prior to joining Douglas Dynamics, he spent 21 years in multiple leadership roles at the Harley-Davidson Motor Company, a manufacturer of premium motorcycles.
“Over the past four years, Mark has established himself as an important leader within our organization,” noted Jim Janik, Chairman, Interim President, and CEO. “His broad operational background and demonstrated expertise both at Douglas and in previous roles make him the ideal candidate for COO. Just as importantly, he has consistently demonstrated that he shares our values, and his leadership style matches our culture. We have every confidence that Mark will continue to succeed and thrive at Douglas Dynamics as we build a strong, resilient organization.”
Linda Evans retiring as Chief Human Resources Officer
Linda Evans has informed the company of her plans to retire on January 2, 2025, after 16 years with the company. Linda joined the company in 2008 as Vice President of Human Resources. She was promoted to Executive Vice President of Human Resources in 2022, and Chief Human Resources Officer in 2023. During her tenure, the company has grown from approximately 500 employees in three locations to approximately 1,700 employees in 21 locations. Linda has played a pivotal role in numerous aspects of the company’s growth including its initial public offering, the completion and integration of multiple acquisitions and developing initiatives to define, shape and maintain our culture.
“Linda’s importance to our company over the past sixteen years cannot be overstated,” explained Mr. Janik. “She has been instrumental in shaping our culture and has been a trusted partner to countless people across the entire Douglas organization. We are grateful for her service and the lasting impact she has had on our company. Her passion and enthusiasm will be greatly missed, and we wish her the very best in her retirement.”
Shannan Vlieger promoted to Senior Vice President, People and Culture
Shannan Vlieger has been promoted to Senior Vice President, People and Culture, effective October 1, 2024, reflecting her outstanding contributions during her eight-year career at Douglas Dynamics. In this new role, she will oversee all Human Resources functions, Organizational Development, and Safety for Douglas Dynamics. Shannan will also continue to be responsible for the company’s Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) efforts.
In her current capacity as Vice President, Business Transformation, Shannan leads strategic initiatives and Continuous Improvement efforts using the Douglas Dynamics Management System (DDMS). She joined the company in 2016 as Director of Operational Excellence, providing leadership in the development and implementation of DDMS enterprise wide. Prior to joining the company, Shannan spent 13-years at Harley-Davidson Motor Company in a variety of roles focused on change management, process improvement, HR, continuous improvement, organizational development, and training.
Sarah Lauber, Executive Vice President, and CFO explained, “This promotion represents a natural progression in Shannan’s career, combining her expertise in strategic management with her passion for continuous improvement, with a focus on human resources. We have no doubt her dynamic leadership will prove immeasurably important to the growth and success of the organization in the years ahead.”
Mr. Janik concluded, “These appointments reflect our commitment to strengthening our leadership and culture. Promoting from within ensures that our team is aligned and ready to lead us into the future. Both Shannan and Mark bring a wealth of experience and a unique perspective that will be invaluable as we continue to optimize our operations. I look forward to working closely with them both in the quarters ahead as we shape the future of Douglas Dynamics.”
Mark Van Genderen bio
Mark Van Genderen previously served as President, Work Truck Attachments from 2023 to 2024. His additional roles at the company include President of Commercial Snow & Ice Control (CSI) from 2021 to 2023, and Vice President of Strategy and Business Development from 2020 to 2021. Mark joined Douglas Dynamics in 2020 after spending 21 years in multiple leadership roles at the Harley-Davidson Motor Company. These responsibilities included leadership of the company’s Latin America division, the company’s parts and accessories product development function, and Harley-Davidson’s riding gear and lifestyle apparel division which included the company’s eCommerce business.
Mark is a member of the Lutheran Social Services Foundation Board of Wisconsin and Upper Michigan, where he serves as the Chair of the Finance, Investment, and Audit Committee. Mark is a past Trustee at Hope College, his undergraduate alma mater, where he holds a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration. Mark also holds an MBA from Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management.
Shannan Vlieger bio
In her current capacity as Vice President, Business Transformation, Shannan leads strategic initiatives and Continuous Improvement efforts using the Douglas Dynamics Management System (DDMS), that she helped to develop and codify. Since 2018, Shannan has been at the forefront of steering the company's Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) efforts. She joined the company in 2016 as Director of Operational Excellence, providing leadership in the development and implementation of DDMS enterprise wide.
Prior to joining Douglas Dynamics, Shannan spent 13 years at Harley-Davidson Motor Company in a variety of roles across the organization with an emphasis on people and process improvement. Her extensive experience includes continuous improvement, organizational development and change management as well as building and managing an HR Operations team responsible for leading strategic HR initiatives, HR Data & Analytics and HR Shared Services.
Shannan received her undergraduate degree in Industrial Engineering from the University of Wisconsin – Madison and achieved a Master of Business Administration at Marquette University. She is currently completing the Chief Human Resources Officer (CHRO) Program at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania.
About Douglas Dynamics
Home to the most trusted brands in the industry, Douglas Dynamics is North America’s premier manufacturer and up-fitter of commercial work truck attachments and equipment. For more than 75 years, the company has been innovating products that not only enable people to perform their jobs more efficiently and effectively, but also enable businesses to increase profitability. Through its proprietary Douglas Dynamics Management System (DDMS), the company is committed to continuous improvement aimed at consistently producing the highest quality products, at industry-leading levels of service and delivery that ultimately drive shareholder value. The Douglas Dynamics portfolio of products and services is separated into two segments: First, the Work Truck Attachments segment, which includes commercial snow and ice control equipment sold under the FISHER®, SNOWEX® and WESTERN® brands. Second, the Work Truck Solutions segment, which includes the up-fit of market leading attachments and storage solutions under the HENDERSON® brand, and the DEJANA® brand and its related sub-brands.
For further information contact:
Douglas Dynamics, Inc.
Nathan Elwell
Vice President of Investor Relations
847-530-0249
[email protected]
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