American LaFrance announces Francis Petro as CEO

American LaFrance, LLC has a new Chief Executive Officer. Francis Petro has been named CEO of the longstanding fire apparatus and commercial vehicle manufacturer and will report to outgoing American LaFrance CEO, Bill Hinz, who will return full-time to his previous position as managing director and operational platform leader for parent Patriarch Partners, LLC.

Petro graduated from the General Motors Institute (now known as Kettering University) in 1962 with a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering. He received a master’s degree in business administration from the University of Buffalo in 1965, and he completed all academic requirements for a Ph.D. in organizational behavior at Harvard University’s Levinson Institute. Petro most recently held the position of President and CEO of Haynes International, Inc.

“Francis Petro has demonstrated with multiple successes his ability to lead manufacturing companies to a global level,” said Hinz. “He has extraordinary vision and I look forward to working with him to position American LaFrance for a better tomorrow.”