08.02.2021

New product development head for JLG

JLG has appointed Rob Messina as senior vice president of product development and product management.

He re-joins JLG after six years with JLG parent company Oshkosh where he has been chief technology officer since February 2015. In his new role he will be responsible for the global JLG and Jerr-Dan product development and product management teams.

Messina started his career in 1993 as a manager with car and truck manufacturer Chrysler, leaving in 2010 to join Oshkosh as director of core technology. The following year he was promoted to vice president of engineering at the group’s defence division. Then in 2013 he transferred to the JLG operation in Hagerstown, Maryland as vice president of engineering and programme management.
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Rob Messina

JLG president Frank Nerenhausen said: “During these challenging times, having experienced and steady leadership is more important than ever. We are fortunate to have industry leading talent across the entire Oshkosh organisation. Rob is no stranger to the Access Segment. He led product development for JLG from 2013 to 2015, before taking on several key strategic initiatives across Oshkosh business units.”

“Rob brings back a wealth of knowledge and experiences gained during his tenure at Oshkosh, where he was instrumental in leveraging and advancing innovation and technology across all segments of the business. His expertise in these areas will play a critical role in continuing to execute on the Access Segment’s innovative and industry leading product roadmap.”

Messina added: “I am passionate about innovation and excited to lead our organisation in the development of products that will redefine the job site of the future. This new opportunity will allow me to bring my past experience with JLG and my broader experience within the Oshkosh organisation together to shape the future of the JLG and Jerr-Dan product lines. Moving forward, we will continue to focus on the company’s product strategy to elevate access across three pillars: Safety, Productivity and Technology in support of tomorrow’s connected job sites and smart cities."