East Trailers LLC announces a strategic leadership transition with the appointment of Chris Olson as Chief Executive Officer (CEO), a seasoned manufacturing and operations executive with over 25 years of leadership experience in the transportation, truck body and specialty vehicle industries.
Known for fostering high-performance teams and cultivating positive organizational culture, as CEO, Olson will focus on driving sustainable growth and operational excellence to further strengthen East鈥檚 ability to deliver value, innovation and quality products to its customers. The move aligns with Fultra鈥檚 2030 Vision of becoming the preferred partner for transportation companies across North America.
鈥淭hroughout his career, Chris has consistently driven operational excellence, innovation and cross-functional leadership, with a strong track record of delivering measurable results in complex, high-growth environments,鈥� said Jorge Mart铆nez Madero, CEO of Fultra, the parent company of East Trailers. 鈥淪o, his leadership will be key to building an agile, efficient and customer-centric operation that will guide East Trailers through this next stage of growth and transformation.鈥�
Olson鈥檚 career includes direct experience in national account development, strategic planning, business integration, engineering, operations, safety and environmental compliance. He comes from The Shyft Group where he was Vice President of Specialty Vehicles Truck Group, leading strategic operations and drove growth across the organization. Before joining The Shyft Group, Olson held multiple leadership roles at LEER Group, including Vice President of Operations 鈥� Supply Chain and Director of Advanced Manufacturing. There, he focused on operational improvements, supply chain efficiency and advanced manufacturing strategies.
Prior to 2020, he served as Director of Advanced Manufacturing and Acting Operations Director for a new facility in Mexicali, Mexico at Truck Accessories Group LLC. From 2018 to 2020, Olson was Director of Advanced Manufacturing and Organic Growth at Wabash National Corp., where he implemented centralized manufacturing processes that led to the design of high-velocity manufacturing lines that boosted capacity by 30%.
His earlier career includes over four years at Supreme Corporation, where he served as General Manager 鈥� Midwest and Director of Product Management, leading product lifecycle strategies, sales training programs and national account initiatives. During his 15 years at Johnson Truck Bodies he oversaw manufacturing and operational functions, led Lean enterprise transformations, strategic planning and managed M&A activities.
With over 55 years of experience in the North American trailer industry, East Trailers continues to evolve through innovation, strong customer relationships and a commitment to quality. The leadership transition is part of a broader strategy to consolidate growth and create long-term impact across the transportation sector.
East also recognizes and thanks Tom Wiseman, who has led East Trailers for the past year and a half, helping to integrate and grow East as a part of Fultra. Going forward, Wiseman will remain focused on leading the Fruehauf Inc. team and continuing to drive results and transformation in this business.