Nikola Corporation, a global leader in zero-emissions transportation and energy supply and infrastructure solutions, via the HYLA brand, announced the appointment of an accomplished and highly regarded financial executive, Thomas “Tom” B. Okray, who has joined the company’s executive team as Chief Financial Officer (CFO).
“We are proud to welcome Tom as our CFO. Attracting someone of his caliber is a testament to the exciting journey Nikola is on,” said President and CEO, Stephen Girsky. “Tom’s depth of financial expertise, cultivated over four decades, will play a crucial role as we expand our supply base and profitably scale our business. Tom will not only complete our executive team, but also help to solidify our foundation for success as we continue to reshape the trucking industry and drive decarbonization forward.”
This marks Okray’s fourth tenure as CFO of a public company. Previously Okray served as Executive Vice President (EVP) and CFO at Eaton Corporation, an intelligent power management company that provides solutions across the propulsion spectrum, Senior Vice President (SVP) and CFO at Grainger, and EVP and CFO at Advance Auto Parts. Okray also held various executive and CFO roles at General Motors over a 14 plus year period, including extensive time in product development. His expansive career has taken him around the world, with stints in Germany, Italy, Poland, and Korea, and considerable time spent in China, India, and Brazil.
“I have traveled the globe over the past 40 years and worked with cutting-edge technologies across various vehicles. Scaling the zero-emissions technology at Nikola is something I want to be a part of,” said Okray. “My connection with some of Nikola’s leadership spanning decades made the decision even more natural. I believe in Nikola’s mission and what they are working to do in the trucking and energy sectors and am excited to join the company and contribute in any way possible.”
Okray joined Nikola from Eaton, where he held the position of EVP and CFO. He also served as SVP and CFO of Grainger and as EVP and CFO of Advance Auto Parts. Prior to that role, he held Vice President positions at Amazon.
At General Motors, Okray started as a Senior Analyst and eventually rose to the position of CFO of Global Product Development, Purchasing and Supply Chain. In this capacity, he provided financial leadership for research and development, engineering operations, procurement, supply chain, capital, future portfolio strategy, future vehicle and powertrain projects, and third-party alliances. Okray also served as CFO of Global Product Development, Executive Director of Product Development in Asia and Europe, and Vice President of the Fiat-GM Powertrain joint venture, among other positions at Opel.
Okray serves on the board of directors of Flowserve Corporation (NYSE:FLS), The Cleveland Orchestra, and The City Mission.
Okray is a graduate of Michigan State University, with a bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering. He earned a Master of Business Administration (MBA) with concentrations in finance, statistics, production and operations, and business policy from the University of Chicago.
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