Inside INdiana Business is reporting that Lafayette-based Wabash National Corp. (NYSE: WNC) has announced retirement plans for its longtime leader. Dick Giromini will step down as chief executive officer in June and stay on for a year as an executive advisor until retiring. Current Chief Operating Officer Brent Yeagy will be the next president and CEO. Giromini has been with Wabash National for more than 15 years, 11 of which as CEO.
He calls it the perfect time to step down because of the current stage of Wabash National’s business transition efforts, which include the recent addition of Supreme Industries to bolster its “Final Mile Products” group. He added “I am extremely confident that Brent Yeagy is not only well-prepared to take over the reins, but equipped to take our company to greater and greater heights. I look forward to working with Brent to assure a smooth transition of leadership over these next several months and in providing him ongoing support in the year to follow.”
Board Chairman Martin Jischke calls Giromini’s leadership at North America’s leading semi-trailer and liquid transportation systems producer “quite extraordinary.” He adds “on behalf of the Board of Directors, I extend to Dick our gratitude and admiration for his many contributions as Wabash National’s Chief Executive Officer. His impact on Wabash National has been remarkable. The record-setting business performance, the continued development of a talented team of associates, and an unwavering commitment to integrity in all that we do will make his time of company leadership an ongoing source of pride for all who are associated with Wabash National.”
Giromini calls his time with the company “a privilege and honor” and says “we have worked diligently from day one to effect a complete transformation of our business from top to bottom, with these efforts culminating in five consecutive years of record performance. I extend heartfelt thanks to Dr. Jischke and the rest of the board of directors for their unwavering support throughout these many years as we worked closely together in executing our strategy to convert our business into the high-performance machine that we see today.”
Wabash National brand names include Beall, Benson, Brenner Tank, Bulk Tank International, DuraPlate, Extract Technology, Garsite, Progress Tank, Supreme, Transcraft, Walker Engineered Products and Walker Transport.