Spartan Motors Names Joseph M. Nowicki as Chief Financial Officer

CHARLOTTE, Mich., June 30 -- Spartan Motors, Inc. today announced it has named former Herman Miller finance executive Joseph M. Nowicki, C.P.A., as chief financial officer. Nowicki succeeds James Knapp, who previously announced his retirement.

Spartan Motors, the leading manufacturer of custom chassis and emergency-rescue vehicles, said Nowicki brings more than two decades of financial management and operations expertise to the position, including extensive manufacturing and international experience. Nowicki spent 17 years with Zeeland, Mich.-based Herman Miller, Inc., most recently as Treasurer and a member of key leadership.

"We are pleased to attract someone of this caliber to our senior management team," said John Sztykiel, president and chief executive officer of Spartan Motors. "Joe is an accomplished finance executive who also brings strategic and operational experience, a background in global operations, and a track record with the investment community that make him an ideal candidate for this role. As Spartan looks to expand our product offerings into new market niches, both here and abroad, we expect Joe to bring a relevant and fresh perspective to managing our business that will benefit all our stakeholders."

At Herman Miller, Nowicki was responsible for all treasury activities, including establishing the company's overall capital and debt structure, overseeing the company's pension and investment strategy and leading investor relations activities for the $1.6 billion furniture manufacturer. During his career at Herman Miller, Nowicki also served as vice president of international finance and vice president within North American finance, and was involved in multiple acquisitions. Before joining Herman Miller, he held several operations and finance positions, including working for IBM and General Motors, and spent several years in public accounting.

"I'm looking forward to joining the Spartan team and think my experience is a great fit with their culture of innovation and focused execution," said Nowicki. "Their emphasis on Return on Invested Capital (ROIC) aligns with my background with economic value-added financial management, and their long-term strategic plan focused on organic growth, new market entries and establishing a global footprint are ideally suited for my experience."

Nowicki holds a master of business administration degree in finance from the University of Michigan and a bachelor's degree in accounting from Canisius College in Buffalo, NY.