Joe Folk

About Joe Folk

I am an experienced engineering executive with demonstrated leadership of high-performing teams. I have over 25 years of auto industry experience across design, development, validation, program execution and quality with a proven track record of success. I am a passionate people leader who enjoys leading either small or large teams to achieve complex goals and helping others around me to develop their skills and improve their performance. I am interested in challenging leadership opportunities where I will be able to continue to grow myself while enabling the team\'s success by applying these skills.

Experience

1. Vice President, Engineering

   First Mode

   Jun 2024 — Present

   First Mode is a global carbon reduction company focused on heavy industry as a start-up company creating powertrain retrofit kits for ultra-class vehicles. As a member of the Senior Leadership Team reporting directly to the CEO, my role is to lead product engineering through design, development and manufacturing launch of the first hybrid electric vehicle (HEV) powertrain conversion kit for mining haul truck applications.• Created and led product engineering organization. Progressed design from proof of concept to production trial stage.• Led team of engineers and technicians to complete build and successful bench testing of first prototype HEV powertrain conversion kit in just 67 working days. Progressed to on-vehicle installation for next phase of testing at corporate proving grounds.• Assigned leadership responsibility for operations, facilities, supply-chain, quality, and manufacturing as start-up company progressed into scale-up stage.• Created new bottom-up facilities budget reducing spending by 40%.• Launched new manufacturing plant with initial build of production trial Hybrid Electric Vehicle (HEV) powertrain conversion kit.• Regularly presented plans and status reviews to C-suite leadership creating open communication across global organization.

Education

• Youngstown State University

  Bachelor Degree

  1993 — 1998

• Purdue University

  Masters of Science in Engineering

  1999 — 2003