PBI-Gordon names new COO
PBI-Gordon recently revealed that Jackie Applegate, Ph.D., has joined the company as chief operating officer effective July 8.
Before joining PBI-Gordon, Applegate spent her career at Bayer Crop Science, starting as a process development chemist and eventually serving in several executive roles in both the agricultural crop and non-crop industries. She most recently served as the President of the North American Crop Science business of Bayer.
Applegate will lead PBI-Gordon’s three subsidiaries: PBI-Gordon Corp. (which provides products to the turf and ornamental industries), Pegasus Laboratories (which develops, manufactures and markets companion animal pharmaceuticals) and PetAg (which develops, manufactures and markets nutritional products and supplements for companion animals). She will report directly to PBI-Gordon President and CEO Steve Clifford.
“Jackie is a proven leader, and we are thrilled to welcome her to the PBI-Gordon family of employee-owners,” said Clifford. “PBI-Gordon has had a tremendous amount of success in recent years, and recruiting proven and innovative leaders like Jackie enhances the depth of our leadership team. Her experience in R&D, operations and strategy development will be invaluable as PBI-Gordon keeps its sights on growing and scaling each of our three subsidiaries and ensuring employee-owner value.”
Neighborly selects new CEO
Neighborly selected Mike Davis to become its new CEO, beginning July 8. Jon Shell, who has served as interim CEO since September 2023, will return his previous role as chief financial officer.
“Mike is a highly successful CEO with a phenomenal track record of success across various industries, including significantly growing franchise businesses,” David Brandon, executive chairman of the board of directors, said. “Mike brings an aligned strategic vision and commitment to innovation, making him the ideal leader to build on the incredible achievements and growth Neighborly has experienced.”
In his career, Davis focused on growth, driven by product or service enhancements, pricing strategies, marketing excellence and customer service. Most recently, he served as the CEO of Mathnasium Learning Centers since 2022. Under Davis’s leadership, the company advanced its mission of educating and empowering franchise owners while experiencing record-setting KPIs across same-center growth, systemwide sales and lead generation. The company expanded the network across three new countries.
“Working closely with the board and the leadership team, Mike will refine, enhance and execute the company’s existing strategy and roadmap, with a commitment to expanding the footprint of Neighborly’s service brands and driving awareness to strengthen its presence in key markets,” Felix Gernburd, Neighborly board member and partner at KKR, said. “He is the right leader to help guide the execution of key enterprise initiatives and the digital transformation in progress aimed to elevate Neighborly as a trusted provider to customers and an attractive investment for prospective franchise owners.”
Davis has over two decades of leadership experience, including 13 years with Universal Music Group (UMG), where he was executive vice president and general manager. Davis’s leadership has spanned companies across diverse fields, including multi-unit franchising, B2B, B2C, eCommerce, direct-to-consumer, third-party logistics, digital platforms and media.
“Neighborly has established itself as a trailblazer in franchising with some of the most respected and leading home services brands in the industry,” Davis said. “The company has been served by outstanding leaders, most recently with Jon Shell, and prior to that with the late Mike Bidwell. I look forward to joining this great organization and building on the meaningful impact they have made.”
TruGreen appoints new chief human resource officer
Lawn care provider, TruGreen, appointed Christine Belknap as chief human resources officer, beginning July 15. In this role, Belknap will spearhead the organization’s strategic human resources initiatives including talent management, leadership development, recruitment, retention and associate engagement. She will report to President and CEO, Kurt Kane.
Prior to joining TruGreen’s executive leadership team, Belknap’s careers spans more than two and a half decades with extensive experience in a broad spectrum of HR disciplines. Most recently, she served as vice president of talent, leadership development and DEI for the Nashville-based retailer, Tractor Supply Co.
“Christine embodies a combination of a passion for people and a results-driven mindset – two critical attributes to the success of a chief human resources officer,” Kane said. “Her ability to build positive relationships and develop comprehensive HR strategies for associate development will enable us to further grow our bench of talent, supporting our mission of serving our customers with a superior experience. At TruGreen, every team member plays a role in our growth, and Christine will further help us be ‘One Team Together’ for each other and our customers.”
Belknap succeeds Larry Costello, who served as an interim chief human resources officer throughout TruGreen’s hiring process.
Blingle hires franchising veteran as group president
Outdoor lighting franchise Blingle hired Michael McAllister as group president. Franchising industry veteran, McAllister, will also join the Heroes Lawn Care as part of his new role.
“We are very thrilled to have Michael join the HorsePower Brands team, bringing with him his franchising expertise,” Josh Skolnick, founder of HorsePower Brands, said. “He has a proven track record of helping scale franchises that benefit both the franchisees and franchisor, and we have no doubt that he will help take Blingle and Heroes Lawn Care to the next level.”
McAllister earned a graduate degree from the University of Alabama at Birmingham before beginning his career as director of tech and training at a commercial construction firm. In 2005, he was introduced to the idea and success of franchising, calling him to follow his entrepreneurial spirit. McAllister them became a multi-unit franchisee with Fitness Together in Charlottle before making the decision to shift from franchisee to franchisor.
He then joined the WellBiz team, located in Denver, where he provided operational support to the franchisees to grow the brand. He most recently served as vice president of operations at LINE-X, where he oversaw over 500 locations across the United States and Canada.
“I am very excited to join the HorsePower Brands family,” McAllister said. “Blingle is an emerging brand, and it is very unique within the space. Being put in this position, with such a young company, allows me to help put an imprint on the franchisees from the start to help grow and scale both brands.”
In his new role as group president, McAllister will assist the franchisees by providing them with resources and support as they look to grow. It’s his responsibility for the franchisees to become profitable. McAllister’s long-term goal is to have 100-plus united for Blingle and Heroes Lawn Care.
“Franchising is about relationships and connections,” McAllister added. “This role is about supporting and connecting with the franchisees, which I enjoy tremendously. I am excited to see each franchisee succeed with the systems we put in place.”
OTR Engineered Solutions adds to executive team
OTR Engineered Solutions (OTR) named Ben Brown as its new global vice president of sales and marketing. Brown will join OTR’s executive team, reporting to president and CEO, Tom Rizzi, focusing on developing the company’s strategic OEM partnerships.
OTR is a global enterprise specializing in off-the-road tire, wheel and track solutions for original equipment manufacturers and aftermarkets. OTR also provides services such as warehousing, tire mounting and sequencing.
In his new position, Brown will help grow the company’s OEM business globally across various markets, including construction, lawn and garden, power-sports, agriculture, forestry, mining, material handling and specialty vehicles. Brown will leverage OTR’s 32 facilities worldwide, which offer a range of value-added services such as warehousing, tire mounting, and sequencing. He will additionally build brand recognition by executing a detailed marketing plan.
Brown has extensive experience in senior leadership and executive positions in the automotive and commercial vehicle industry. His skillset ranges from growing revenue, driving new business and managing teams and more.
“Our OEM partners are extremely important to OTR, and Ben is a great fit to help grow this area of our business,” Rizzi said. “We’re proud of the unmatched value we offer OEMs through custom engineering, global distribution, subassembly and many other services. We’re excited for Ben to enhance this offering to our customers and to help drive OTR’s purpose of making our customers’ lives easier.”
New president at Bomag
Ingo Ettischer, Ph.D., will replace Ralf Junker as president of the Bomag July 1. Ettischer has been managing director and chief operating office at Bomag since July 2023.
Prior to joining the company, Ettischer spent 21 years working in various global executive and production roles at Mercedes-Benz AG in the truck, van and car divisions. Before that, he led several strategy and operational excellence projects in different industries at a management consultant agency.
”Bomag is set to continue to grow internationally in size and portfolio,“ Jean-Claude Fayat, owner and president of the FAYAT Group, said. “We are confident that Ettischer, with his experience, knowledge and energy, will boost the company’s growth and lead Bomag successfully into the future.”
Ettischer said he’s looking forward to stepping into Junker’s shoes to lead the Bomag Group going forward, especially with a strong management team and skilled workforce.
“By clearly focussing on our customers, innovative products and an internationally oriented production network, we will position ourselves competitively as a technology leader and thus continue to grow in the future,” Ettischer said.
Munro names regional account manager
Munro named Aaron Johnson as its new Pacific Northwest U.S. regional account manager. Johnson will work with the company’s network of professional distributors as well as with irrigation specifiers, landscape architects and landscape contractors, to provide support and further develop and enhance Munro’s market presence.
“With over 25 years of sales experience, Aaron has built a strong reputation building customer relationships and maintaining customer loyalty through creative problem solving, efficiency and dependability. Aaron’s dedication to creating excellent customer experiences makes him an excellent resource for his customers and a great fit for the Munro team,” Katie Powell, president of Munro, said.
Franz Witte adds 4 new partners
Franz Witte Landscape Contracting, a landscape installation, maintenance and garden center company, added four new partners to its ownership group. All new partners are current employees who have demonstrated exceptional dedication, leadership and expertise in their respective roles within the company. The move aims to solidify Franz Witte’s growth plans and ensure its success and expansion in Treasure Valley for the next 50 years and beyond.
The new partners are Jill Bell (HR manager), Andrew Gates (senior estimator and project manager), Jake Koppes (sales and design manager) and Toby Mancini (operations manager).
“The current owners are thrilled to welcome these outstanding individuals as partners in our company,” Seneca Hull, president of Franz Witte, said. “Each of them has played a significant role in our growth and success over the years. Their dedication, innovation and commitment to excellence have been instrumental in helping us achieve our goals. Bringing them into the ownership group is a natural progression and a testament to their hard work and leadership.”
The partnership initiative is part of a strategic plan to ensure that Franz Witte continues to grow and thrive, adapting to the evolving needs of the Treasure Valley community. Franz Witte will leverage the unique strengths and visions of the new partners to enhance its service, explore opportunities and maintain industry leadership.
