Denny Slagle Joins Electric Vehicle Startup Trova Commercial Vehicles as Senior Adviser

Slagle retired as president of Mack Trucks and EVP of Volvo Group in 2018

Denny Slagle, who retired as executive vice president of Volvo Group and president of Mack Trucks in 2018, joins electric vehicle startup Trova Commercial Vehicles as senior adviser.

TrovaCV launched this summer to provide commercial vehicle manufacturers with customized engineering, design and manufacturing expertise for fully electric commercial vehicles while at the same time developing its own new electric vehicle from the ground up.

“We’re excited to welcome Denny to our team and know that his vast commercial and construction vehicle market experience in sales and marketing, business finance and brand management will strengthen our position as a major player in the world of electric commercial vehicle manufacturing,” said Patrick Collignon, TrovaCV founder/CEO and former chief operating officer for Volvo Trucks North and South America. “With the involvement of two experienced truck OEM executives, TrovaCV can offer customers more real-world expertise than any other EV start-up in the market. Denny’s areas of commercial expertise will complement my focus on product development, engineering and industrialization.”

Slagle will join the company’s newly formed advisory board, which will include industry leaders with a variety of expertise and proven experience. The board will council TrovaCV’s management in its quest to secure a strong market position among many newcomers.

After beginning his career as a Certified Public Account and senior audit manager at Price Waterhouse in 1976, Slagle spent 20 years as controller, chief financial officer and later president of North American operations at JCB North America, a UK-based manufacturer of construction equipment.

He joined Volvo AB in 2000 as senior vice president of sales, marketing and distribution development for Volvo Construction Equipment North America. After spending a year as president of LB Smith Inc., the largest Volvo construction equipment dealer, Slagle rejoined Volvo in 2003 as president of Volvo Construction Equipment North America. He was named executive vice president of Volvo Group and President of Mack Trucks in 2008.

Some of Slagle’s accomplishments in his 10 years as executive vice president of Volvo Group and president of Mack Trucks included managing the Volvo Group’s South American truck business and leading Mack through economic challenges and the implementation of aggressive emissions regulations. 

“Patrick is one of the most innovative thinkers I’ve ever worked with,” says Slagle. “I’m looking forward to supporting him in this venture to design, build and industrialize a commercial vehicle chassis specifically made to be powered by electricity. Our backgrounds and industry expertise complement each other well, and I think that will help TrovaCV achieve success.”

Slagle earned his bachelor’s degree in accounting from West Virginia Wesleyan. He served as vice chairman of construction equipment for Associated Equipment Manufacturers from 1995 to 1996 and was on the National Association of Manufacturers board of directors from 2009 to 2018.

As the president of Mack Trucks, he was featured in an episode of the television show “Undercover Boss” in February 2011, where he posed as a factory worker to get a better understanding of the company’s work environment.

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