Area manufacturer, after ousting CEO, names new top leader

SARASOTA — Helios Technologies, following the ousting of CEO Wolfgang Dangel for violations of company policy, including “poor judgment involving a consensual relation with an employee,” has named a new top executive.

The Sarasota-based company, formerly Sun Hydraulics Corp, named Josef Matosevic president and CEO, effective June 9. He was also appointed to the company’s board, effective the same date, according to a statement. Matosevic, a global executive with experience in a more than a dozen countries, had most recently been with another locally-based company: he was executive vice president and COO of Welbilt, Inc., formerly Manitowoc Foodservice, a publicly-traded global manufacturer of commercial foodservice equipment based in Pasco County. Matosevic had been COO there since 2015, and was interim president and CEO during a transition period in 2018, the release states.

Matosevic succeeds Tricia Fulton, Helios’s interim president and CEO, who had replaced Dangel in April. Fulton retains her position as Helios’s CFO, a position she held in addition to the interim president and CEO responsibilities. Philippe Lemaitre will return to his role as board chairman June 9, the company adds in the statement, after having served as executive chairman on an interim basis during the transition period.

“We are pleased to welcome Josef to lead Helios,” Lemaitre says in the statement. “He emerged as our clear choice, following a comprehensive and independent search process. We believe that his leadership style and cultural fit, as well as his proven ability to grow businesses, focus on customers, and develop talent are key attributes for Helios’s continued success. We expect his diverse global experience, technological vision, and history of operational excellence, including Lean Six Sigma, will make him a strong leader for the execution of our Vision 2025 strategy.”

Prior to joining Manitowoc, Matosevic served in various executive positions with Oshkosh Corporation, a designer, manufacturer and marketer of a broad range of specialty vehicles and vehicle bodies.

“It is an honor to be selected as Helios’s next President and CEO,” Matosevic says in the statement. “The company has a rich history of industry leadership and I am excited to lead the team on its path to achieving Vision 2025, while striving to exceed the expectations of our global stakeholders. I believe that the combination of our strong portfolio, talented and experienced management team, and the Vision 2025 strategy serve as a solid foundation for ongoing success.”

Helios Technologies develops and manufactures solutions for the hydraulics and electronics markets. Its hydraulics segment markets and sells products globally under the brands Sun Hydraulics, Custom Fluidpower and Faster. Its global electronics brands include Enovation Controls and Murphy. It reported $554.6 million in revenue in 2018.