15.10.2021

Office of the CEO for Maxim

Maxim Crane has announced the establishment of an interim ‘Office of CEO’ following the recent departure of chief executive Bryan Carlisle and chief operating officer Frank Bardonaro - see: Maxim Crane departures

Michael Kneeland remains as non-executive chairman, while the interim 'Office of the CEO' will include chief financial officer Sean Collopy, chief legal officer and chief tax officer Don Goebel, plus Larry Lis, vice president of the midwest region.

Kneeland said: "The formation of the Office of the CEO will allow Sean, Don and Larry to continue to execute on the company’s strategic priorities and deliver superior service to customers during the search for a new chief executive. We are pleased to have executives of their calibre take on these added responsibilities, and we are confident that our customers and employees are in capable hands leading Maxim forward. The board is already working actively to identify the best CEO for Maxim to enhance our market leadership. We look forward to appointing a strong leader who will leverage the company's broad footprint and multitude of capabilities to continue providing the most modern and capable equipment to meet the needs of our growing customer base."

Collopy joined Maxim as chief financial officer and treasurer in April. Prior to that he spent 16 years with GE Aviation as chief financial officer of global supply chain, military systems, global engineering, and mechanical systems. He joined GE Aviation after spells at Delta Air Lines and Comair.

Goebel has been with Maxim for 18 years, overseeing the company’s legal and tax departments as well as Maxim’s insurance and risk management function, providing administrative support for all operational and administrative personnel across the organisation. He also served the company as chief legal officer and chief tax officer, vice president and general counsel and associate legal and tax counsel. Prior to joining Maxim in 2003 he was a partner in a large, regional law firm based in Pittsburgh, and previously worked as a tax manager for PricewaterhouseCoopers.

Lis has been with Maxim for 23 years and was appointed vice president of the midwest region in 2016. Before that he served in various senior roles, including vice president of the northeast region from 2012 to 2016, where he managed the regional, crane, and aerial lift platform divisions. He joined the company in 1999 from A.C. Dellovade.

Following Bryan Carlisle’s departure at the end of September, Kneeland said: "On behalf of the entire board and Maxim organisation, I want to thank Bryan for his many contributions over more than four decades with the company and its predecessors. Maxim has grown into the largest crane rental company in the world, and we believe we are well positioned for the future. We appreciate Bryan’s continued leadership and are grateful to benefit from his ongoing contributions as a member of our board."

Carlisle added: "Leading Maxim’s talented and best in class team for the past seven years has been the highlight of my career. I am incredibly proud of Maxim’s employees, who work tirelessly every day to provide unparalleled products and services to our customers, and I am honoured to have had the opportunity to work alongside this team to transform Maxim into the national market leader it is today. After more than 45 years at Maxim and in the crane industry, this is the right time to transition to the next generation of leaders. Maxim’s future is bright, and I look forward to working with the rest of the board and following Maxim’s continued success as the company executes on its long-term value creation plan."