Board of Directors and Executive Officers
Directors
The table below sets forth a Director’s position on the Board, the membership on the Board’s Committees, and the year first elected or appointed as a Director for each Director of the Company. An asterisk identifies the board members who are Weichai designees.
| NAME | POSITION | COMMITTEE | DIRECTOR SINCE |
|---|---|---|---|
| James Zhang* | Chairman of the Board | (Chair) Strategic Committee | 2023 |
| Shaojun Sun, Ph.D.* | Director | Compensation; Nominating and Governance (Chair) | 2017 |
| Kenneth W. Landini | Director | Audit | 2001 |
| Fuzhang Yu* | Director | Compensation | 2023 |
| Frank P. Simpkins | Director | Audit (Chair); Nominating and Governance; Strategic | 2017 |
| Simon He | Director | Audit; Compensation (Chair) | 2019 |
| Gengsheng Zhang* | Director | Nominating and Governance; Strategic | 2022 |
The narrative descriptions below set forth the principal occupation, employment, position with the Company, if any, and directorships in other public corporations, for each of the seven Directors. Unless otherwise indicated, each Director has been engaged in the principal occupation or occupations described below for more than the past five years.
Mr. Jiwen Zhang has served as the Company’s Chairman of the Board since March 29, 2023. In addition, Mr. Zhang serves as the Chair of the Strategic Committee.
Mr. Jiwen Zhang has served as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Weichai America, which focuses on researching and developing a full line of off-road natural gas engines and engine components, since February 2023. Weichai America is a wholly owned subsidiary of Weichai Power, a publicly traded company on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange and the Shenzhen Stock Exchange. Mr. Jiwen Zhang has over twenty years of experience in the engine industry. From January 2013 to December 2022, Mr. Jiwen Zhang served as President of Kohler Power Systems, a multinational company located in Wisconsin, which specialized in diesel and gaseous generators, responsible for oversight of the global business operations. Prior to this, Mr. Jiwen Zhang served as Managing Director Commercial of Fiat Powertrain APAC from September 2010 to December 2012, Vice President of Volvo Penta Region Asia from May 2002 to August 2010, and Customer Service General Manager of a Caterpillar distributor Lei Shing Hong machinery from September 1994 to April 2002.
Mr. Jiwen Zhang earned his EMBA from University of Texas at Arlington and Bachelor’s degree of Mechanical & Electrical Engineering from University of Science and Technology of China.
Mr. Jiwen Zhang brings to the Board extensive and effective leadership experience demonstrated through his executive and management roles at leading engine manufacturers.
Shaojun Sun, Ph.D. has served as a director of the Company since April 2017. Dr. Sun previously served as the Company’s Vice Chairman of the Board from December 7, 2021, to March 29, 2023, and prior to that, served as Chairman of the Board from April 1, 2017 to December 7, 2021. In addition, he serves as Chair of the Nominating and Governance Committee (the “Nominating Committee”) and as a member of the Compensation Committee.
Dr. Sun serves as Vice President of Shandong Heavy Industry Group Co., Ltd. (“SHIG”), a leading automobile and equipment manufacturing group since 2021. Dr. Sun has been an Executive Director since December 2002 and was an Executive President from October 2007 to November 2021 of Weichai Power, a publicly traded company on the Hong Kong and the Shenzhen Stock Exchange and leading global designer and manufacturer of diesel engines. Dr. Sun also served as a Director of Weichai Group Holdings Limited (the “Weichai Group”), a multi-field and multi-industry international group from 2007 to 2021, and Chairman of Shandong Weichai Import and Export Co., Ltd., a wholesale distributor of industrial machinery and equipment. On January 1, 2019, Dr. Sun was appointed a Director of Ballard Power Systems Inc., a publicly traded company on the NASDAQ and Toronto Stock Exchanges that builds fuel cell products. Dr. Sun joined Weifang Diesel Engine Factory in 1988 and held various supervisory positions as a Chief Engineer of Weifang Diesel Engine Factory, and Director of Torch Automobile Group Co., Ltd.
Dr. Sun holds a Master’s degree from Beihang University and a Doctorate degree in Engineering from Tianjin University. Dr. Sun serves on the Board as a Weichai designee.
Dr. Sun brings to the Board extensive managerial experience and leadership gained through his executive roles at leading engine manufacturers.
Kenneth W. Landini has served as a director of the Company since 2001 and assisted in the development and growth of the business of the Company since 1985. Mr. Landini is a member of the Audit Committee. From August 7, 2017 to January 19, 2021, Mr. Landini was the Chair of the Compensation Committee. He also served as a member of the Nominating Committee from April 2017 to January 19, 2021.
Mr. Landini previously served as the Vice President of Finance for the Company’s subsidiary, Power Great Lakes, Inc., from December 1985 to March 1988 and assisted the Company in establishing distributor relationships and expanding the territories into which the Company provides its power systems. Mr. Landini is a Partner and Co-founder of Landini, Reed & Dawson, P.C., a certified public accounting and consulting firm in southeastern Michigan, which was established in 1988.
He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Albion College and is a licensed Certified Public Accountant in the state of Michigan. Mr. Landini qualifies as an “Audit Committee Financial Expert” under applicable SEC regulations and has substantial audit experience gained from his tenure as a partner at a certified public accounting and consulting firm.
Mr. Landini brings to the Board an in-depth knowledge and understanding of the Company’s business and operations, having served as Vice President of Finance for one of the Company’s subsidiaries.
Frank P. Simpkins has served as a director of the Company since July 13, 2017. Mr. Simpkins is the Chair of the Audit Committee and is also a member of the Nominating Committee and Strategic Committee.
Mr. Simpkins has over 25 years of executive management and financial experience. From June 2016 to December 2016, he served as Chief Financial Officer of Emerson Network Power, part of Emerson Electric Co., a publicly traded company on the New York Stock Exchange (the “NYSE”). From 2006 to 2015, Mr. Simpkins served as Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Kennametal Inc., a publicly traded company on the NYSE and a global leader in the design and manufacture of engineered components, advanced materials and cutting tools. Prior to that role, Mr. Simpkins held various positions within Kennametal since 1995. Prior to Kennametal, he worked as a Manager for PricewaterhouseCoopers from 1986 to 1995.
Mr. Simpkins serves on the Board of Trustees at Seton Hill University, Greensburg and previously served on the Board of Trustees of Pennsylvania State University, New Kensington. On September 1, 2022, Mr. Simpkins joined the Advisory Board of Anovion, an advanced battery materials business in North America for synthetic graphite anode materials.
He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting from Pennsylvania State University. Mr. Simpkins qualifies as an “Audit Committee Financial Expert” under applicable SEC regulations and has substantial public-company reporting experience gained from his roles as Chief Financial Officer during his career.
Mr. Simpkins brings to the Board significant management experience, as well as his experience as a Chief Financial Officer.
Simon He has served as a Director of the Company since November 14, 2019. Mr. He is the Chair of the Compensation Committee and a member of the Audit Committee.
Mr. He serves as Director, Financial Planning & Analysis for CytomX Therapeutics (“CytomX”), a NASDAQ-listed biotechnology company, since February 2021, and previously served as a Consultant to CytomX beginning in February 2020. Previously, Mr. He served as Director of Finance and Reporting for Blackthorn Therapeutics, a clinical-stage biotechnology company, from June 2019 to December 2019. Prior to that, Mr. He served as the Head of Finance at GenapSys, Inc. from 2018 until May 2019. From 2014 until 2018, Mr. He was the finance director of SciClone Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a NASDAQ-listed specialty pharmaceutical company with main operations in China. From January to June 2014, Mr. He served as Vice President of Finance and the Controller of Augmedix, Inc., a privately held technology-enabled medical documentation company. From October 2011 to December 2013, Mr. He was employed as Vice President of Finance at Baidu Leho.com, a private company backed by Baidu, a NASDAQ- listed company. From 2015 to 2020, Mr. He served as Director and Audit Committee Chairman of Fuling Global, Inc., a disposable serviceware and kitchenware manufacturer.
Mr. He earned his Bachelors of Science degree in Accounting from Beijing University of Technology in July 1992 and his Masters of Business Administration degree from University of Chicago Booth School of Business in December 2006. Mr. He is a U.S. certified management accountant and a China certified public accountant. Mr. He qualifies as an “Audit Committee Financial Expert” under applicable SEC regulations and has substantial public company reporting experience gained from his roles as a financial officer and controller of public companies during his career.
Mr. He brings to the Board substantial financial and managerial experience gained through leadership roles at public companies.
Gengsheng Zhang served as a director of the Company since September 16, 2022. In addition, he serves as a member of the Nominating Committee and Strategic Committee.
Mr. Gengsheng Zhang has served as Director of International Cooperation and Business Synergy Department for SHIG, since March 2022. Previously, he served as Deputy General Manager of Weichai Group, a multi-field and multi-industry international group which owns six business segments of powertrain, intelligent logistics, automotive, construction machinery, luxury yacht, and finance & after-services, from August 2020 to March 2022. Prior to Weichai Group, he served as Assistant General Manager of Weichai Group (and later as Deputy General Manager) and Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of SHIG India Pvt Ltd., a subsidiary of SHIG, from December 2019 to August 2020. Prior to that, he served as Assistant General Manager of Weichai Group and General Manager of Shandong Weichai Import & Export Company, from May 2012 to December 2019. Prior to that, he served as Director of Weichai International Service Department from October 2005 to May 2012. Earlier in his career, Mr. Gengsheng Zhang was employed in various leadership and engineering roles at manufacturing organizations.
Mr. Gengsheng Zhang earned a Bachelor of Engineering degree from Shandong Polytechnic University in 1990 and an EMBA from China-Europe International Business School in 2014. Mr. Gengsheng Zhang serves on the Board as a Weichai designee.
Mr. Gengsheng Zhang brings to the Board in-depth management experience in manufacturing and engineering.
Fuzhang Yu has served as a director of the Company since July 2023. Mr. Yu is a member of the Compensation Committee.
Mr. Yu has served as Director of the Overseas Finance Department of Weichai Group since May 2023 and Vice Director from January 2023 to May 2023. Prior to that, Mr. Yu served as Chief Financial Official of Shaanxi Hande Axle Co., Ltd, a leading commercial vehicle axle manufacturer in China from February 2021 to January 2023. From February 2019 to February 2021, Mr. Yu served as Chief Financial Officer of Weichai Ballard Co., Ltd (“Weichai Ballard”), a joint venture of Weichai Power and Ballard Power Systems Inc. Prior to his role at Weichai Ballard, Mr. Yu served in various leadership roles in the Finance Department at Weichai Power from January 2009 to February 2019.
Mr. Yu earned his Bachelor’s degree in management from Beijing Forestry University, China in 2009. Mr. Yu is a China certified public accountant.
Mr. Yu would bring to the Board extensive accounting experience as well as management experience through his roles at engine manufacturers.
Dino Xykis was appointed as the Chief Executive Officer on April 24, 2023. Prior to that, Mr. Xykis served as the Interim Chief Executive Officer from June 1, 2022 to April 24, 2023. Mr. Xykis was also appointed as the Company’s Chief Technical Officer on March 15, 2021. He is responsible for the oversight of the Company’s advanced product development, engineering design and analysis, on-highway engineering, applied engineering, emissions and certification, Waterford, Michigan engineering operations, program management and product strategic planning. Since joining the Company in 2010 and until his appointment as Chief Technical Officer in March 2021, Mr. Xykis served as Vice President of Engineering for the Company. He has more than 30 years of professional experience in multi-disciplined engineering areas including senior management and executive positions at various companies including Cummins Inc., a publicly traded company on the NYSE, and Generac Power Systems, a publicly traded company on the NYSE. Mr. Xykis also served as Adjunct Professor of Mechanical Engineering and Mechanics at the Milwaukee School of Engineering and previously served on the audit and compensation committees of the board of directors of Image Sensing Systems, a publicly traded company on NASDAQ, from 1996 to 2001. Mr. Xykis has also served on the advisory board of CEGE, College of Science and Engineering, University of Minnesota for eight years.
Mr. Xykis holds a Bachelor’s degree in Structural Engineering, a Master’s degree in Vibration/Dynamics, and a Ph. D. in Structural/Applied Mechanics from the University of Minnesota, Minneapolis.
Kenneth Li has served as Chief Financial Officer since August 29, 2022.
Mr. Li is an accomplished executive who has more than 20 years of professional experience in the areas of finance, accounting, financial planning & analysis, internal controls and strategy, among others. Most recently, Mr. Li served as chief financial officer for ND Paper, a leading pulp, packaging and paper company, from 2020 to August 2022, where he was a member of the executive leadership management team with primary responsibility for finance, accounting, tax, auditing, treasury, risk management, internal audit, and strategic planning, among other areas, and served as a strategic advisor to the CEO. Prior to this role, Mr. Li was with Caterpillar Inc., a publicly traded company on the NYSE, from 2008 through 2020, where he served in various financial leadership positions, the most recent of which was chief financial officer of the global mining machine product group from 2013 to 2020. Prior to Caterpillar, Mr. Li was with Ford Motor Company, a publicly traded company on the NYSE, where he held finance leadership roles of increasing responsibility, from 2003 to 2008.
Mr. Li holds an MBA with high distinction and an M.S. in Accounting, both from the University of Michigan. He also holds an M.S. in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Oklahoma and a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from Shanghai JiaoTong University. Mr. Li is also a CPA.