Our Team

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Dr. Omar Fakhoury

Co-Founder & Partner

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Dr. Fakhoury holds a PhD in Mechanical Engineering from University of Illinois at Chicago, a Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering from San Jose State University, and a Bachelor of Science in Aerospace Engineering from Northrop University. Dr. Fakhoury holds a number of patents and is a certified Six Sigma Black Belt.

Dr. Fakhoury is a proven Industry leader with over 25 years of general management, operations and product development experience. Prior to retiring in December of 2018, he served as COO and CTO of Accuride Wheel-end Solutions (AWES), a division of Indiana-based Accuride Corporation.

Dr. Fakhoury had operational oversight responsibility for Accuride’s Rockford, Illinois (UAW) manufacturing plant (winner of Industry Week magazine’s “Best Plants” in North America award), as well as, leading all global supply chain development and management activity, all new product development, intellectual property, and the future technological direction of the company. Additionally, Dr. Fakhoury had responsibility for supplier quality assurance activity globally.

Before his appointment with Accuride, he served as partner and COO/CTO of KIC, LLC, a global leader in contract manufacturing and distribution of commercial vehicle brake and wheel-end components. Dr. Fakhoury had responsibility for KIC’s product development, global supply chain development and management, logistics, as well as, global supplier quality assurance. Dr Fakhoury was responsible for revamping KIC’s product line, expanding its global contract manufacturing footprint, and was instrumental in helping grow KIC from $29 Million in revenue in 2009 to $158 Million in 2015. Dr. Fakhoury was involved in due diligence and M&A activities in 2012, 2013 and 2017.

Prior to his tenure with KIC, Dr. Fakhoury held the position of General Manager of Gunite Corporation, a $300 Million revenue business unit of Accuride Corporation, a publicly traded company at that time. Dr. Fakhoury had full P&L responsibility for the company which included operational responsibility for three plants nationwide and 850 employees. Prior career positions include, Vice President of Engineering with Gunite Corporation, and Senior Product Engineer at IMT.

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John Schneider

Co-Founder & Partner

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John Schneider is a proven Industry leader with over 30 years in commercial vehicle component manufacturing and distribution markets. His industry tenure focused on turn-around situations and leading growth strategies.

Prior to retiring in October of 2018, Mr. Schneider served as President of Accuride Wheel-end Solutions (AWES), a division of Indiana-based Accuride Corporation.

Schneider had full P&L responsibility for Accuride’s Rockford, Illinois (UAW) manufacturing plant (winner of Industry Week magazine’s “Best Plants” in North America award) as well as leading a complex global (China, India, Turkey, Mexico, USA and Canada) contract manufacturing division.

Before his appointment with Accuride, Schneider served as President of KIC, LLC, a global leader in contract manufacturing and distribution of commercial vehicle brake and wheel-end components. Schneider lead KIC’s in-house Engineering, Quality, Supply-Chain, Logistics, Marketing/Sales, and Customer Service teams. In 2013 he orchestrated the sale of 60% of the company to Industrial Opportunity Partners (IOP), a private-equity firm in Evanston, IL. In 2017, he helped lead the sale of the remaining 40% of the company to Crestview Partners, a New York based private-equity firm and the owner at the time of KIC’s major competitor Accuride Corporation.

Leading up to his role as President of KIC, Mr. Schneider held the position of Sr. Vice President and Chief Sales Officer at KIC, LLC. During that time, KIC grew revenue from $29 Million in 2009, to $158 Million by the end of 2015 and was recognized as the fastest growing wheel-end (hubs/drums) company in the world. Prior career positions include, Vice President of Truck OEM Sales with Accuride Corporation; Director of Sales at TTI, Account Manager for TRW Commercial Steering and Sales Manager, Peerless Trailer.

Schneider earned a B.S degree from the University of Oregon (1982). He has a Patent on a unique hub technology and is also the co-inventor of an award-winning, Patent pending, long life wheel-end system.