Work Truck Logo
MenuMENU
SearchSEARCH

VIPAR Heavy Duty Names New President

VIPAR Heavy Duty chairman Bill Nolan announced that Chris Baer has been named its new president.

by Staff
October 17, 2016
2 min to read


VIPAR Heavy Duty chairman Bill Nolan announced at the organization’s annual business conference in Orlando that Chris Baer has been named its new president.

Ad Loading...

Baer joined VIPAR Heavy Duty in January 2002 as director of program management and in November 2003 he was named vice president and a corporate officer. Baer was promoted to executive vice president of VIPAR Heavy Duty in November 2014.

Ad Loading...

“Chris is well-respected by VIPAR Heavy Duty stockholders and suppliers and by his colleagues in the heavy duty industry,” said Nolan. “He is a proven leader with excellent market knowledge who will help us continue on a strong upward path as an organization. At the same time, I want to thank Steve Crowley on behalf of all my fellow shareholders for his years of leadership. We have experienced an immense amount of growth during his time at the helm and are grateful for his dedication and hard work. Steve has been a tremendous leader and a good friend.”

“It has been an honor to lead this organization for more than 16 years and I’m excited to see Chris step into this new role. He has been a valued adviser to me and the board of directors, and is a natural fit to lead this organization into the future,” said Crowley.

Before joining VIPAR Heavy Duty, Baer was with Chicago Rawhide/SKF for 17 years in a variety of sales management roles, including director of automotive aftermarket sales. Baer has served as a member of the AWDA Young Executive Society (YES) committee and earned the Automotive Aftermarket Professional (AAP) designation from the University of the Aftermarket. He is a 2014 recipient of the Northwood University Automotive Aftermarket Management Education Award. Baer is a graduate of North Park University in Chicago.

“I appreciate the confidence and trust the board of directors has shown in naming me the next leader of VIPAR Heavy Duty and our family of companies,” said Baer. “I’m excited about the team we have in place to help us continue on a strong growth path.”

For more information on VIPAR Heavy Duty, visit www.vipar.com.

More Operations

Fleet veteran Jeff Hurrell pictured in two career photos beside the words “Fleet Legends: Keep Asking Why.”
Operationsby Lauren FletcherAugust 27, 2026

Why Fleet Leaders Have to Keep Asking Why

What if the biggest fleet improvements start with one simple question? After decades managing budgets, policies, technology, teams, and some of the largest fleet operations in the business, Jeff Hurrell shares why fleet leaders should keep asking “why” before deciding what comes next.

Read More →
Truck Chat Monthly thumbnail saying Beyond the Truck with hose Lauren Fletcher from Work Truck
Sponsoredby Lauren FletcherAugust 26, 2026

Drones, EV Reality, Truck Production & Smarter Fleet Operations Lead This Month

August’s biggest work truck stories go beyond the vehicle, from disaster-response drones and EV reality checks to truck production, roadside uptime, and smarter fleet operations.

Read More →
Lauren Fletcher and Kim Davidson pose at Derby Downs with the All-American Soap Box Derby track behind them, alongside Soap Box Derby and Work Truck Truck Chat graphics.
Operationsby Lauren FletcherAugust 25, 2026

Team Fletcher Takes 2nd Overall at the Corporate Soap Box Derby

Team Fletcher came to Akron as a rookie and left with a win over Team Brown, a second-place overall finish, and $22,000 raised for The Hourglass Foundation. See how race day unfolded.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
Shades of Fleet Hidden Heroes graphic featuring silhouetted dispatchers, coordinators, parts specialists, and support staff working across fleet operations, with a Share Your Story callout.
Operationsby Lauren FletcherAugust 24, 2026

Shades of Fleet Call for Voices: Fleet's Hidden Heroes

Fleet’s hidden heroes are often the ones keeping everything moving behind the scenes. September’s *Shades of Fleet* is looking for dispatchers, coordinators, parts specialists, and other support pros to share their stories.

Read More →
Work Truck Trucks, Tips & Tours thumbnail featuring a woman at the WEX NAM Summit, with the headline “What Is the WEX NAM Summit?” and tagline “Industry ‘Meeting of the Minds.’”
Operationsby Wayne ParhamAugust 24, 2026

What is the WEX NAM Summit?

What makes the WEX NAM Summit different from other fleet industry events? It's a meeting of the minds that brings fleet and mobility leaders together to discuss emerging trends, AI, new solutions, best practices, and the future of the industry.

Read More →
Fleetworthy graphic featuring the Inc. 5000 fastest-growing private companies badge beside an aerial view of a red semi-truck traveling on a highway.
Operationsby News/Media ReleaseAugust 19, 2026

With 293% 3-Year Revenue Growth, Fleetworthy is One of the Fastest-Growing Private Companies in the U.S.

Fleetworthy has been named to 2026 Inc. 5000 list of fastest-growing private companies for the second consecutive year. It ranked No. 2 overall in the Albany-Schenectady-Troy, New York metro area.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
Lauren Fletcher with blue hair gestures beside a work truck graphic for the Truck Chat Weekly Cheat Sheet, featuring the callout “EV Reality, Fathom & Fleet Tech.”
Operationsby Lauren FletcherAugust 17, 2026

EV Fleet Reality, Ford Fathom, Robots, and Smarter Fleet Tech Lead the News

EV fleet lessons, Ford’s new Fathom electric truck, robots, manufacturing shifts, and smarter fleet technology headline this week’s Truck Chat Cheat Sheet.

Read More →
Kenworth T680 semi-truck posed before a city skyline, alongside logos for Kenworth, Hiring Our Heroes, Fastport, and Transition Trucking’s Driving for Excellence Award.
Operationsby News/Media ReleaseAugust 14, 2026

Elite 11 Semi-Finalists Announced for the 2026 Transition Trucking: Driving for Excellence Award

The 11 semi-finalists for the 2026 Transition Trucking: Driving for Excellence award have been announced. The award honors the achievements of military veterans who have transitioned into careers in the professional trucking industry.

Read More →
Have you been saying these brand names wrong? Man standing by Knapheide truck with Truck Chat and Work Truck logos
Operationsby Lauren FletcherAugust 13, 2026

Are You Saying These Work Truck Company Names Correctly?

Think you know how to pronounce the biggest names in work trucks? We asked the companies themselves to settle it once and for all.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
fleetio coast pay cost
SponsoredAugust 13, 2026

Why Reactive Fleet Management Is Becoming Too Expensive to Sustain

Research highlights a growing need for proactive management strategies to address rising costs in fleet operations effectively.

Read More →