Chief Executive Officer — EMS Vehicle Manufacturer

Life Line Emergency Vehicles, Sumner, IA, US

30+ days ago Requisition ID: 1728

About Life Line Emergency Vehicles

Life Line Emergency Vehicles is a leading custom ambulance manufacturer headquartered in Sumner, Iowa, with more than 200 employees committed to building the vehicles that first responders depend on to save lives. A subsidiary of Folience, Life Line is in an exciting period of growth — currently executing a plan to increase ambulance production and expand its impact across the emergency medical services industry.

Position Summary

The President of Life Line Emergency Vehicles is the senior operational leader of the company, responsible for the overall strategic, operational, and financial performance of the business. This leader drives growth, profitability, and innovation while ensuring operational excellence, customer satisfaction, and alignment with Folience’s broader mission and values.

Reporting directly to the CEO/President of Folience, the President owns full P&L responsibility and is accountable for delivering on Life Line’s ambitious growth objectives. This leader also serves as a key member of the Folience executive leadership team, contributing to enterprise-wide decisions and partnering with Shared Services across Finance, HR, IT, and Operations.

The President provides strategic leadership and direction to the Life Line Leadership Team, currently comprised of the Director of Human Resources, Director of Operations, Plant Controller, Director of Sales, and Director of New Product Development.

Reporting Structure

Reports to:

• CEO/President, Folience

Direct Reports:

• Director of Human Resources
• Director of Operations
• Director of Sales
• Director of New Product Development

Key Responsibilities

The President is accountable for performance across three core pillars:

Profitable Growth

• Own full P&L responsibility; meet or exceed revenue, margin, and profitability targets established with Folience leadership.
• Develop and execute long-term strategic plans aligned with Folience’s company goals, with a near-term focus on successfully increasing ambulance production capacity.
• Identify market trends, customer needs, and competitive positioning to inform planning and decision-making.
• Lead business development, sales, marketing, and customer relationship strategies in partnership with the Director of Sales.
• Expand into new markets and improve market share through product, service, or geographic innovation.
• Partner with the Director of Sales to build strong relationships with dealers, distributors, fleet managers, and end-users in the EMS industry.
• Identify opportunities for growth, investment, and cost optimization.
• Lead business transformation and change management initiatives as needed.
• Represent Life Line at industry events, trade associations, and with key stakeholders.

Operational Excellence

• Oversee all manufacturing, supply chain, and quality functions to ensure production targets are met safely, efficiently, and to the highest standards of craftsmanship.
• Lead the execution of the production doubling initiative, ensuring operational readiness, workforce capacity, facility investment, and supply chain alignment.
• Implement performance metrics and KPIs to ensure financial health and operational efficiency across all departments.
• Foster a culture of safety and lean manufacturing; champion continuous improvement initiatives across all functions.
• Develop and manage the capital investment strategy to support capacity expansion and long-term operational sustainability.
• Ensure compliance with all applicable regulations, safety standards, and environmental policies.
• Partner with functional leads and Folience Shared Services (Finance, HR, IT, Operations) to ensure cross-functional alignment.
• Serve as a key member of the Folience executive leadership team, contributing to enterprise-wide decisions and providing regular operational and financial updates.
• Lead, develop, and mentor a high-performing leadership team and workforce capable of scaling with the business.
• Foster a culture of accountability, innovation, and collaboration across a 200+ person workforce.
• Promote workforce development and skills training in manufacturing and leadership at all levels of the organization.
• Partner with the Director of HR to attract top talent, support succession planning, and build workforce capacity as production scales.
• Foster employee engagement and champion a safe, inclusive, and respectful workplace where employees are empowered to do their best work.
• Model servant leadership — removing barriers, developing people, and creating an environment where the team can thrive.

Qualifications

Required

• Bachelor’s degree in Business, Engineering, Operations Management, or a related field.
• 10+ years of executive leadership experience in manufacturing or a related industry, including P&L ownership.
• Proven track record of leading a business unit, division, or enterprise in a manufacturing organization through growth or transformation.
• Exceptional leadership, communication, negotiation, and interpersonal skills.
• Strong financial acumen and strategic planning skills.
• Demonstrated ability to build and develop high-performing cross-functional teams.
• Results-oriented leadership style with a hands-on approach and a bias for action.

Preferred

• MBA or advanced degree.
• Experience in specialty vehicle, truck body, or related transportation manufacturing.
• Familiarity with the emergency medical services (EMS) or public safety industry.
• Experience operating within a subsidiary or portfolio company structure.
• Background in lean manufacturing, continuous improvement, or operational transformation.

Success Profile

The ideal candidate will bring the following to Life Line:

• Visionary leader with an execution mindset — someone who can think long-term while delivering near-term results.
• Entrepreneurial and innovative thinker who thrives in a growth-oriented environment.
• Skilled at balancing short-term performance with long-term strategic investment.
• Strong decision-maker who is comfortable in complex or ambiguous situations.
• Able to build credibility and trust across all levels — employees, customers, and executive leadership.

Life Line Emergency Vehicles is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, or veteran status. Pre-employment background check, credit check, motor vehicle record check and drug screen are required.