Holman Enhances Executive Leadership with Strategic Appointments to Support Growth and Organizational Excellence
Holman, a globally recognized leader in automotive services, has announced two pivotal executive appointments that underscore the company’s ongoing commitment to strategic growth, operational alignment, and delivering exceptional experiences for both customers and employees. As the organization continues to evolve and expand its capabilities in a rapidly changing mobility landscape, these leadership transitions are aimed at reinforcing its foundational strengths while enabling future innovation.
Effective immediately, Pete Dondlinger has been named President and Chief Operating Officer (COO) of Holman. In this elevated role, Dondlinger will be responsible for overseeing all of the company’s commercial business segments, including fleet management, vehicle upfitting, powertrain distribution, manufacturing, and insurance services. In a parallel move that reflects Holman’s emphasis on comprehensive internal leadership, Kristina Nicoles has been promoted to President and Chief Administrative Officer (CAO). She will lead the organization’s corporate services functions, including human resources, information technology, marketing, legal and compliance, and corporate assets.
In addition to their new roles, both Dondlinger and Nicoles have been appointed to Holman’s Board of Directors, signaling the company’s strong confidence in their leadership and vision.
“We are incredibly honored and excited to promote Kristina and Pete to these extremely important roles within our organization,” said Chris Conroy, Chief Executive Officer of Holman. “Their deep understanding of our business, our values, and our long-term strategy makes them ideally suited to guide Holman into the next era of growth and innovation. Pete and Kristina are extraordinary leaders who truly embody the principles that have long underpinned Holman’s enduring success.”
Pete Dondlinger: Driving Growth Across Commercial Business Units
With his appointment as President and COO, Dondlinger assumes executive oversight of all commercial operations at Holman. His responsibilities will span a wide spectrum of the organization’s business lines that serve a global portfolio of clients. These include the company’s longstanding fleet management services, cutting-edge upfitting operations, powertrain solutions, equipment manufacturing, and Holman’s evolving insurance offerings.
Dondlinger brings to the role a wealth of experience and a proven track record of leadership. He previously served in a senior executive capacity within Holman’s upfitting and manufacturing division, where he played a crucial role in driving growth and establishing the company as a leading force in vehicle equipment innovation. Under his stewardship, the division experienced significant expansion, both in scale and sophistication, and solidified its position as a top-tier partner for commercial vehicle upfitting across North America.
In that capacity, Dondlinger also upheld Holman’s tradition of family leadership—as a fourth-generation member of the Holman family—demonstrating both a deep-rooted connection to the company’s heritage and a forward-thinking approach to managing complex, high-growth businesses.
In his new post, he is expected to focus on enhancing cross-functional integration across business units, sharpening customer responsiveness, and ensuring the company’s commercial solutions remain agile in the face of evolving market demands, including vehicle electrification, digital transformation, and the globalization of fleet services.
“Pete has a remarkable ability to connect big-picture strategy with operational execution,” said Conroy. “His leadership will be instrumental in aligning our diverse commercial offerings into a unified, customer-centric enterprise.”
Kristina Nicoles: Elevating Employee and Customer Experience
As Holman’s newly appointed President and Chief Administrative Officer, Kristina Nicoles will spearhead a broad range of internal corporate service functions that are integral to maintaining the company’s culture of excellence. Her scope of responsibility includes overseeing human resources, marketing, corporate assets, IT infrastructure, legal affairs, and compliance management—all of which are vital to supporting Holman’s 10,000+ employees and facilitating the company’s long-term strategic vision.
Nicoles’ promotion reflects her longstanding contributions to Holman, where she has served since 2004. Throughout her tenure, she has earned a reputation for being a dynamic and results-oriented leader with exceptional business insight and a collaborative management style. She has played a key role in shaping many of Holman’s core administrative functions, often leading cross-functional initiatives that have helped streamline operations and improve employee engagement.
Her leadership style is characterized by a holistic understanding of organizational dynamics, from workforce development and change management to risk mitigation and corporate communications. As CAO, Nicoles will aim to strengthen internal capabilities while nurturing the unique service-oriented culture that Holman is known for—both internally among employees and externally with customers.
“Kristina’s impact on our organization over the past two decades has been nothing short of transformative,” said Conroy. “Her strategic perspective and unwavering dedication to our people-first philosophy make her the ideal leader to help guide our company culture and administrative infrastructure as we continue to scale.”
Strategic Implications of the Appointments
The appointment of Dondlinger and Nicoles comes at a time when Holman is poised to further expand its footprint in the global automotive services market. These leadership changes are not merely internal promotions but rather part of a deliberate strategy to enhance operational agility, foster innovation, and unify the company’s approach across its many service lines and markets.
Holman has long distinguished itself through its comprehensive and integrated approach to vehicle lifecycle management, offering services that span fleet leasing and management, vehicle logistics, upfitting, component distribution, and more. With evolving trends in electrification, mobility-as-a-service (MaaS), and data-driven fleet optimization, the company is proactively aligning its leadership structure to remain responsive to these changes and to continue delivering best-in-class solutions to clients worldwide.
By elevating leaders with both deep institutional knowledge and proven records of execution, Holman is reinforcing its commitment to sustainable growth, operational excellence, and customer satisfaction.
A Legacy of Leadership, A Vision for the Future
The dual appointments of Pete Dondlinger and Kristina Nicoles also underscore Holman’s values-driven leadership model, one that prioritizes integrity, innovation, and long-term relationships. As the company continues to scale and diversify its service offerings in an increasingly complex global environment, leadership continuity and strategic foresight will be critical to maintaining its competitive edge.
Both executives represent a blend of tradition and transformation—Dondlinger through his lineage and operational prowess, and Nicoles through her commitment to people-centered leadership and systems optimization. Their elevation to the Board of Directors further demonstrates Holman’s belief in building a leadership team that can operate with a strategic, enterprise-wide lens.
With these moves, Holman is not only investing in its current leadership but also laying the foundation for the next chapter in its nearly 100-year history—a chapter defined by bold innovation, employee empowerment, and an unwavering focus on customer success.
