Mary Petrovich
General Manager, AxleTech International

As General Manager of AxleTech International, Mary Petrovich is responsible for global business performance.  Petrovich assumed this role in December 2002 when Wynnchurch Capital acquired ArvinMeritor's off-highway and specialty vehicle axle business. Under Petrovich's leadership, AxleTech has dramatically improved its market position and overall performance to establish an exciting platform for future growth. Significant improvements have included initiatives addressing cost competitiveness in purchasing and manufacturing as well as repositioning efforts aimed at capturing new markets and customers.

Petrovich has a record of turning under performing units into successful business enterprises. Prior to AxleTech, she was President of the Dura Automotive Driver Control Division with global profit and loss responsibility for three strategic business units having sales of $870 million. While there, Petrovich developed and implemented a turnaround plan to achieve double digit operating income within two years for a negative margin business unit. Other successes included launching two new growth programs projected to deliver $250 million in incremental business within two years and leading a company wide e-business strategy team.

Petrovich also spent seven years at Allied Signal in various leadership roles including Vice President of Operations and Supply Base Management for Allied Signal Friction Materials, Director of Supply Base Management for Allied Signal Automotive Products Group, Plant Manager for Allied Signal Safety Restraint System and Director of Cost Management for Allied Signal Automotive. She began her career at General Motors as a Manufacturing Engineer, and held financial and project management positions of increasing responsibility at Chrysler.

Petrovich is a well-recognized industry leader. She was named to Crain's Automotive News Top 100 Women in the Automotive Industry in 2000 and has been featured in professional books and videos including Noel Tichy's book The Leadership Engine and Robert Kaplan's Harvard Business School video Activity Based Costing and The Balanced Scorecard. She serves on the Board of Directors of the Woodward Company as well as the Advisory Council of the University of Michigan College of Engineering.

Petrovich holds a Master of Business Administration from the Harvard Graduate School of Business and a Bachelor of Science in Industrial and Operations Engineering from the University of Michigan.

Gary Alstott
Vice President, Purchasing and Component Operations, AxleTech International

As Vice President of Purchasing and Component Operations for AxleTech, Gary Alstott is responsible for developing global sourcing strategies, driving product cost reduction, and leading our program management function.  He manages globally through our operations as we leverage best practices globally.  Dedicated Supplier Development resources are in place to assure our quality and costs are best in class.   

Alstott is also responsible for AxleTech’s component operations, TTT and US Gear located in Michigan and Illinois.

While at ArvinMeritor® for seven years, Gary Alstott most served as Senior Director of Procurement with responsibility for almost $1 Billion in annual global purchases.  He also led international and supplier development activities at ArvinMeritor’s Drive Axle, Driveline, Aftermarket, Transmission and Specialty Divisions.  Most recently, Gary served as Senior Director of Corporate Development for ArvinMeritor®. 

For ten years prior to ArvinMeritor®, Alstott held increasingly responsible positions in engineering, manufacturing, and sales headlined by management roles with two casting companies. 

Gary graduated with a B.S. in Engineering from Purdue University as well as an MBA and Juris Doctorate in Law.

Michael J. Brody
Sr. Director Finance

As Sr. Director Finance for AxleTech, Mick has global responsibility for all Finance and IT functions. 

Mick joined Axletech in 2007 as Global Controller. Prior to AxleTech, Mick held CFO, Controller, Director and other Senior Financial positions for such companies as Pine River Plastics, Oxford Automotive, Delphi and Newcor. Mick started his career with PricewaterhouseCoopers where he attained the position of Audit Manager. Through these increasingly responsible assignments, Mick has gained strong, proven manufacturing-base knowledge, as well as significant experience leading teams to achieve improved cash flow and profitability.

Mick graduated with a Bachelor’s in Business Administration from the University of Michigan and became a Certified Public Accountant in 1993. 

Mike Burda
Vice President of Operations – Americas, AxleTech International

As Vice President of Operations – Americas, Mike Burda leads our Oshkosh, Wisconsin,  and Osasco, Brazil Manufacturing facilities. 

Mike has over 28 years of proven operational success including leading organizations through robust new product launch processes and successfully implementing and sustaining lean initiatives. Mike’s expertise in operations is instrumental to the future direction and success of AxleTech International.

Prior to AxleTech International, Mike was Vice President of Outboard Manufacturing at Mercury Marine. Mike also spent ten years with Honda as VP of their Power Products Division and Plant Manager at the Marysville Auto Plant. He spent seven years with Navistar in a variety of manufacturing roles including Manufacturing Engineering Manager, Production Manager, and Plant Manager. Mike has also had successful, diverse industry leadership roles in Manufacturing Engineering with companies such as GE Medical, and John Deere. 

Mike received his Bachelors in Industrial Management from the Milwaukee School of Engineering and an MBA from Ohio State University.

Daniel Chien
Vice President, Global Engineering and Quality, AxleTech International

Dan Chien leads the global engineering, product development, quality programs, and value analysis activities for all of AxleTech’s commercial and military programs.

Prior to AxleTech, Chien spent eighteen years at ArvinMeritor® in a number of roles of increasing responsibility up to Managing Director of Commercial Vehicle Suspension Systems.   He possesses leadership experience across a variety of key functions including engineering, procurement and general management. 

Chien also spent the first ten years of his career working in several off-highway powertrain engineering roles for J.I. Case and John Deere.    Most recently, he served as Vice President of Sales and Engineering for Liteflex, a lightweight suspension components business serving the heavy truck and automotive markets.  While at Liteflex, Dan directed sales activities to grow the business by 30%.  

Dan graduated with a B.S.M.E. from the University of Iowa.  Dan also earned a Masters in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Michigan and an MBA from Michigan State University.

Randall DeMorris
Vice President Human Resources, AxleTech International

As Vice President of Human Resources for AxleTech International, Randall DeMorris is responsible for development and implementation of Human Resources and Labor Relations strategies.

Randy has over twenty years of diverse and extensive HR leadership involving manufacturing operations, corporate development, labor relations, international recruitment, as well as HR/Labor Relations consulting in various industries on a wide range of HR organizational issues.

Randy received his Bachelors from Michigan State University and a Masters degree in Industrial Relations from Wayne State University.

Mathieu Fidel
President of AxleTech International SAS

As President of AxleTech International SAS, Mathieu Fidel leads our St Etienne, France operations including manufacturing, aftermarket distribution and customer service.

Through senior management assignments over several industries spanning 24 years, he has demonstrated a proven ability to lead organizations through operational transformation. Mathieu has particular world class expertise in the areas of lean manufacturing, new product launch, and executing profitable plant growth in several different countries during his career.

Prior to AxleTech International, Mathieu served as Plant Manager over several plants for Electrolux’s European Operations. In this role, Mathieu had full P&L responsibility for operations with total employment of over 1,000 employees and was presented Electrolux’s Wolf Trophy in recognition of his being their best Plant Manager. Mathieu also had twelve years of progressively increased responsibilities working for Brandt, Thomson, and Clarion manufacturers.

Mathieu graduated with an engineering degree from ESIGE.

Gerry Giudici
Vice President of O.E. Business Development, AxleTech International

As Vice President of O.E. Business Development, Gerry Giudici is responsible global leadership for all original equipment and remanufacturing sales, strategy, execution, and profitable growth.

Prior to AxleTech, Gerry Giudici served in senior leadership roles with two private equity companies. Gerry was the Vice President of Teksid Aluminum, Italy, a $1.2 Billion global automotive supplier of powertrain components and Senior Vice President of CHEP Global Automotive Services.

Gerry also spent five years at Lucas Varity and TRW Automotive, as Director of Global Business Development and Vice President of Planning for braking systems products.

Prior to Lucas Varity, Gerry spent three years at AlliedSignal, which included his turn-around role as Managing Director for a four-plant Italian seat belt and air bag operation. Gerry also spent fifteen years in international positions of increasing responsibility at Delphi Automotive and General Motors.

Gerry graduated with a B.S. in Industrial Administration from General Motors Institute and an M.B.A. from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania.

Bill Gryzenia
Vice President Aftermarket Business Development, AxleTech International

Bill  is currently AxleTech's Vice President of Aftermarket Business Development and has been responsible for leading its profitable aftermarket growth since January 2004. Bill has assembled AxleTech's aftermarket sales team and is responsible for global leadership for all military and commercial aftermarket sales and marketing functions.

Bill is uniquely qualified to lead this critical strategy for AxleTech based on his extensive international industry management experience achieving Latin American OE and Aftermarket growth for the Harnischfeger Corporation. He completed a five-year Latin American assignment directing activities for most of the company's operations in Chile and Argentina and has also had significant project management duties in other key company international markets including Mexico.

Bill earned his Bachelor of Science in Industrial and Operations Engineering from the University of Michigan and has an International Master of Business Administration degree from the University of Chicago.