Morbark Names New CEO After Acquisition by Private Equity Firm

Morbark has named Dan Ruskin CEO effective immediately. The announcement follows the recent sale of Morbak to Stellex Capital Management, a private equity manager that invests in both U.S. and international companies.

Michael Roth

April 6, 2016

Ruskin has an extensive background in lean manufacturing, corporate turnarounds and restructurings.

“Dan is an excellent fit for Morbark,” said Ray Whiteman, chairman of the board and managing partner of Stellex. “We have known Dan for close to 20 years and his experience across multiple industries, in particular industrial markets such as heavy equipment, automotive, truck and transport vehicles, have prepared him well for this position. One of Dan’s core strengths is his ability to build strong teams that can help organizations quickly meet their goals and enhance their profitability.”

Ruskin began his career as an industrial engineer in the aerospace and defense industry and has gone on to various management roles. Ruskin will relocate to Winn, Mich., where Morbark is headquartered.

About the Author

Michael Roth

Editor

Michael Roth has covered the equipment rental industry full time for RER since 1989 and has served as the magazine’s editor in chief since 1994. He has nearly 30 years experience as a professional journalist. Roth has visited hundreds of rental centers and industry manufacturers, written hundreds of feature stories for RER and thousands of news stories for the magazine and its electronic newsletter RER Reports. Roth has interviewed leading executives for most of the industry’s largest rental companies and manufacturers as well as hundreds of smaller independent companies. He has visited with and reported on rental companies and manufacturers in Europe, Central America and Asia as well as Mexico, Canada and the United States. Roth was co-founder of RER Reports, the industry’s first weekly newsletter, which began as a fax newsletter in 1996, and later became an online newsletter. Roth has spoken at conventions sponsored by the American Rental Association, Associated Equipment Distributors, California Rental Association and other industry events and has spoken before industry groups in several countries. He lives and works in Los Angeles when he’s not traveling to cover industry events.