CEO of $227 million manufacturer to retire

SARASOTA — Longtime Sun Hydraulics President and CEO Al Carlson will retire from his post in early spring 2016.

Carlson, according to a release, will remain on the board of the screw-in cartridge valve manufacturer after his March 31 retirement. Wolfgang Dangel, who has been vice chairman of Sun's board since 2012, will be the new CEO, the release adds. Dangel, 51, has held executive positions in the auto industry and in manufacturing. He has also been on the board of the National Fluid Power Association.

“As I approached my 65th birthday, after 20 years at Sun, the last 15 as CEO, I advised the board of my desire to transition from my role as president and CEO sometime after the end of this fiscal year,” Carlson says in a statement. “Working with the board as part of our ongoing strategy and management succession planning, it became clear to me that next spring would be an appropriate time for this transition. I look forward to working with Wolfgang and contributing to Sun's future success as a member of the board.”

Sun designs and makes high performance screw-in hydraulic cartridge valves and manifolds for industrial markets worldwide. The company had $227.67 million in sales in 2014.

In addition to his leadership at Sun, Carlson is a visible executive in the Sarasota-Manatee business community. He has worked with multiple organizations, including Junior Achievement and several colleges and training schools that promote manufacturing jobs. Carlson has also spoken nationwide about his company's flat, or horizontal, management system, where titles and hierarchy are nonexistent.