Hilti’s Kahn Named to Executive Board; Others Promoted
Avi Kahn, region head and CEO of Hilti North America, has been promoted to the Hilti Group Executive Board effective Jan. 1, 2020.
Over his 15-year career, Avi has held various roles of increasing responsibility after starting with the company in 2004 in San Francisco as an account manager, demonstrating and selling Hilti products to area contractors. Kahn was promoted to the role of region head and CEO of Hilti North America in January 2017 from Hilti Canada, where he served as general manager beginning in 2011.
“It has been a great honor to be part of the Hilti North America team over the last 15 years and I look forward to continuing to support the growth and development of the organization as a member of the executive board for the Hilti Group. I know the team here in North America is in great hands under the future leadership of Martina McIsaac,” said Kahn.
McIsaac, currently general manager of Hilti Canada, will be promoted to region head and CEO of Hilti North America effective Jan. 1, 2020. Martina was chosen after a comprehensive internal search for a candidate with a proven track record of success, deep understanding of the business and commitment to company culture.
McIsaac joined Hilti in 2013 as a senior management candidate and in 2014 became a division manager. Three years later she was promoted to her current role as general manager for the Canada market organization. Martina’s drive and ability to lead have had a lasting impact resulting in sustained sales growth for Hilti Canada during her tenure. Under her leadership, Hilti Canada has also received numerous recognitions as a best-in-class workplace. Most recently, Hilti was again named to the Top 50 list by Great Place to Work Canada with special recognition on the list of Best Workplaces Managed by Women.
“Over the last five years, I have developed a deep passion for our industry, our team members and our customers,” McIsaac said. “I look forward to continuing to build on the strong foundation created by Avi by working alongside my colleagues on the North America Executive Management team to take Hilti even further.”
Dan Wade, currently division manager for the Midwest located in the central market organization, will succeed McIsaac as general manager of Hilti Canada. With this role, Dan will join the Hilti North America executive management team. Dan has been with Hilti since 2007 when he joined the company in the technical services department after first serving as an engineering intern. Over his 12-year career, Dan has held a number of positions of increasing responsibility in engineering, marketing and sales before taking on his current role in 2016 as a division manager.
About the Author
Michael Roth
Editor
Michael Roth has covered the equipment rental industry full time for RER since 1989 and has served as the magazine’s editor in chief since 1994. He has nearly 30 years experience as a professional journalist. Roth has visited hundreds of rental centers and industry manufacturers, written hundreds of feature stories for RER and thousands of news stories for the magazine and its electronic newsletter RER Reports. Roth has interviewed leading executives for most of the industry’s largest rental companies and manufacturers as well as hundreds of smaller independent companies. He has visited with and reported on rental companies and manufacturers in Europe, Central America and Asia as well as Mexico, Canada and the United States. Roth was co-founder of RER Reports, the industry’s first weekly newsletter, which began as a fax newsletter in 1996, and later became an online newsletter. Roth has spoken at conventions sponsored by the American Rental Association, Associated Equipment Distributors, California Rental Association and other industry events and has spoken before industry groups in several countries. He lives and works in Los Angeles when he’s not traveling to cover industry events.