Lyons, SD – Rosenbauer America Group is honored to announce the retirement of its chairman and president Harold Boer effective December 31st, 2019. John Slawson has been appointed by the Rosenbauer America Supervisory Board to replace Boer.
Slawson comes to the group with vast fire industry experience and is well suited to lead the group as it continues to grow and remain a leader in fire technology.
“I am deeply moved by the appointment to chairman and CEO,” said Slawson. “Rosenbauer’s culture has been admired around the industry for decades. My commitment is to enhance customer experience while maintaining focus on innovation.”
Slawson has held executive leadership roles within the fire industry since 2004 and has worked extensively on resolving and improving each organization he has lead. His passion for the product and the fire industry continues to grow year after year.
“We’ve built an organization known for its innovation and dedication to the fire service. The supervisory board has appointed a proven leader who will provide strong leadership and maintain the pace of innovations Rosenbauer is known for,” said Harold Boer, President of Rosenbauer America.
John Slawson most recently served as the President of Spartan Motors from 2015-2018. During his tenure as Spartan’s president, Slawson lead the acquisition of a vertically integrated apparatus manufacturer, increased revenue, and revitalized product development. Slawson has also served as president of Horton Emergency Vehicles, US Tanker, and Oshkosh Specialty Vehicles.
Harold Boer, alongside his wife, Helen, entered the fire industry formally in 1982 when they incorporated their service station into Central States Fire located in Lyons, South Dakota. In 1998, the Boers joined the Rosenbauer America group, which included General Safety in Wyoming, Minnesota, as well as Rosenbauer International based in Leonding, Austria. In June 2016, the Boers entered partial retirement, and Harold stepped back from his role as CEO of Rosenbauer South Dakota; Scott Oyen was appointed to replace him.
In North America, Rosenbauer incorporates the international strength and innovation of a global company with top American manufacturing firms. For more information, please visit the company’s Web site at www.rosenbaueramerica.com.
