Flash Global Logistics (“Flash”) has named Sam Mikles as its new chief executive officer. Former President and CEO, Jim van Leenen, has been appointed as chairman of the board. Both positions are effective immediately.
Mr. van Leenen, served as President and CEO of Flash for seven years, during which time he successfully established the company as a leader in the mission critical, service parts logistics industry. In his new role as chairman of the board, he will shift his focus to leading the board on a variety of strategic initiatives to further the company’s growth and ongoing global expansion. “Mr. van Leenen has been an integral leader within the Flash organization. During his tenure as President and CEO, the company has seen significant revenue growth, and strategic expansion in critical markets such as Brazil, Latin America and India. His leadership of the board will ensure continued progress for the company,” said Scott Gallin, Managing Director, PineBridge Investments and Flash Board Member.
Mr. Mikles joined the company in 2012 as senior vice president of global operations and was quickly promoted to chief operating officer, leading Flash’s worldwide operations. In this role, he successfully implemented several global improvements, created efficiencies and developed a track record for continuous success, including the launch of FlashView, the industry’s first global track and trace technology.
“Mr. Mikles brings a customer-first philosophy, coupled with a rigorous dedication to advancing the Flash organization. His energy, knowledge, enthusiasm and passion are critically important to successfully lead this company as we pursue aggressive growth, both organically and through acquisition,” said Mr. van Leenen.
Prior to joining Flash, Mr. Mikles gained over 20 years of leadership experience on the service side working at a variety of original equipment manufacturers such as EMC, Hitachi Data Systems, Blue Coat Systems and Applied Materials. Leveraging his client-side experience, he brings a unique and invaluable expertise to executing service delivery and is highly regarded within the critical parts supply chain industry.
“I am committed to continue leading and growing the Flash organization and its people, while continuously raising the bar in service excellence to meet the needs of our clients. We will accomplish this through ongoing infrastructure improvements, process and protocol optimization, employee development and a strong focus on client intimacy. We want to continue to deliver best-in-class customer service that creates predictability, visibility and sustainability for our customers,” said Mr. Mikles.
Building upon the momentum of the company to date, Mr. Mikles and his executive team will work aggressively to accelerate revenue growth and continue to increase the global footprint of the Flash network.
“Over the past 18 months the Board has witnessed Mr. Mikles’ commitment to growing and leading the Global Operations organization. This experience and knowledge, coupled with his client side expertise, make him an invaluable asset to the Flash organization and well positioned to take over as CEO,” said Mr. Gallin.
