Skilled transportation executive positioned to
further company focus on zero-emissions trucking and hydrogen
infrastructure solutions
PHOENIX, Aug. 27,
2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Nikola Corporation (Nasdaq:
NKLA), a global leader in zero-emissions transportation and energy
supply and infrastructure solutions, via the HYLA brand, today
announced the appointment of accomplished transportation executive
Thomas "Tom" Schmitt as Chief Commercial Officer (CCO) of Nikola
Corporation.
As CCO, Schmitt will align Nikola's commercial efforts to scale
the company's business. He will oversee the company's sales,
commercial operations, dealerships, service, customer success, and
marketing functions.
"Fortifying our commercial team is crucial to our success as we
focus on our customers' experience and expanding the zero-emission
Class 8 marketplace," said President and CEO, Stephen Girsky. "Tom brings a solid track record
built over the past 35-plus years that will help drive forward
Nikola's strategic and operational goals, inside and out."
Schmitt brings to Nikola decades of transportation leadership,
having served as CEO of Forward Air, CCO of Schenker, CEO of
Purolator and FedEx Supply Chain and is a longtime board member for
various well-known entities.
"I've been following Nikola for years, and it's an honor to join
this mission-driven organization with the sole goal of
decarbonizing the trucking industry," said Schmitt. "I look forward
to working with the passionate Nikola team in bringing that goal to
fruition."
ABOUT THOMAS
SCHMITT
Thomas "Tom" Schmitt is Chief Commercial
Office (CCO) of Nikola Corporation.
Prior to Nikola, Schmitt served as President, Chairman and CEO
of Forward Air, a major freight transportation business focused on
North America. Under his
leadership, Schmitt and his team led the company to profitable
growth during the global COVID pandemic, with the share price more
than tripling from early 2020 through December 2021.
From 2015 to 2018, Schmitt was a Management Board Member and CCO
for Schenker, a freight forwarding, transportation and logistics
company, operating in 140 countries with $30
billion in global revenues. He led a team of 22,000 in the
Global Contract Logistics business, and as CCO, Schmitt led
Schenker AG's global Sales and Marketing activities, and in his
first year, the company grew by more than €1 billion.
Between 2013 and 2015, Schmitt led Aqua Terra, Canada's leading provider of natural spring
water, reporting directly to the Board as one of the company's
owners, together with Private Equity firm Birch Hill Partners.
Under Schmitt's leadership, the company was transformed, and at the
end of his tenure, Schmitt and Birch
Hill executed the sale of Aqua Terra to a larger strategic
buyer.
From 2010 to 2012, Schmitt served as CEO and director on the
Board for Purolator, a $1.6 billion
company with 12,000 employees and Canada's top parcel and freight provider.
Prior to Purolator, Schmitt spent 12 years at FedEx, where he
served as CEO of FedEx Supply Chain, a FedEx operating company, and
led FedEx Solutions, a FedEx Services division that developed and
executed specific and integrated turnkey supply chain customer
solutions.
Schmitt has served as a Director on the Ferguson plc Board of
Directors since 2019, and from 2015 to 2019, he served on the board
of Cyberport GmbH in Dresden,
Germany. From 2014 and 2018 Schmitt was a Director on the
Board of Dicom Transportation Group in Montreal, Canada; from 2013 to 2016, was a
Director on the Board of Zooplus AG; and from 2008 to 2013, as a
Director of the Board of Univar, Inc.
Schmitt is a strong believer in community engagement, and served
as Chair of the Memphis Chamber, as well as on the boards of Ballet
Memphis and Shelby Farms Park.
He holds an MBA as a Baker Scholar from Harvard Business School and a Bachelor of Arts in
European Business Administration, First Class Honours, from
Middlesex University. In 2006, Schmitt
was co-author of "Simple Solutions," a guide to management and
leadership.
ABOUT NIKOLA CORPORATION:
Nikola Corporation's mission is clear: pioneering solutions for a
zero-emissions world. As an integrated truck and
energy company, Nikola is transforming commercial
transportation, with our Class 8 vehicles, including
battery-electric and hydrogen fuel cell electric trucks, and our
energy brand, HYLA, driving the advancement of the complete
hydrogen refueling ecosystem.
Nikola headquarters is based in Phoenix, Ariz. with a manufacturing facility
in Coolidge, Ariz.
Experience our journey to achieve your sustainability goals
at nikolamotor.com or engage with us on social media
via Facebook @nikolamotorcompany,
Instagram @nikolamotorcompany,
YouTube @nikolamotorcompany,
LinkedIn @nikolamotorcompany or
Twitter @nikolamotor.
FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENTS
This press release contains certain forward-looking statements
within the meaning of federal securities laws with respect to
Nikola Corporation (the "Company"), including statements relating
to: the Company's beliefs regarding the potential benefits of Mr.
Schmitt joining the Company's executive management team; Mr.
Schmitt's ability to help drive forward Nikola's strategic and
operational goals; Mr. Schmitt's role in solidifying the Company's
foundation for success as it works to reshape the trucking industry
and drive decarbonization forward; Mr. Schmitt's ability to help
align the Company's commercial efforts to scale its business; and
Nikola's position at the forefront of a transformative industry.
These forward-looking statements generally are identified by words
such as "believe," "project," "expect," "anticipate," "estimate,"
"intend," "strategy," "future," "opportunity," "plan," "may,"
"should," "will," "would," and similar expressions. Forward-looking
statements are predictions, projections, and other statements about
future events based on current expectations and assumptions and, as
a result, are subject to risks and uncertainties. Many factors
could cause actual future events to differ materially from the
forward-looking statements in this press release, including but not
limited to: risks related to the rollout of the Company's business
and milestones and the timing of expected business milestones; and
the factors, risks and uncertainties regarding the Company's
business described in the "Risk Factors" section of the Company's
annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2023 filed with the Securities and
Exchange Commission (the "SEC"), in addition to the Company's
subsequent filings with the SEC. These filings identify and address
other important risks and uncertainties that could cause the
Company's actual events and results to differ materially from those
contained in the forward-looking statements. Forward-looking
statements speak only as of the date they are made. Readers are
cautioned not to put undue reliance on forward-looking statements,
and, except as required by law, the Company assumes no obligation
to update or revise these forward-looking statements, whether as a
result of new information, future events, or otherwise.
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SOURCE Nikola Corporation
