President and CEO
Oshkosh Corp. | Oshkosh
John Pfeifer is president and chief executive officer of Oshkosh Corp., a manufacturer of specialty trucks, military vehicles, truck bodies and access equipment. The company has about 18,000 employees across 19 countries and reported revenues of $9.7 billion in 2023.
Oshkosh Corp. has made several acquisitions under Pfeifer’s leadership. Earlier this year, the company acquired AUSACORP S.L. and AeroTech from JBT Corp. in an $800 million deal. In 2022, the company acquired Hinowa S.p.A.
Oshkosh Corp. was awarded a $942 million contract by the U.S. Army in 2021 to integrate a new weapon system into an infantry carrier vehicle, with the work to be completed in Oshkosh. In a move toward clean energy, leaders have said the company plans to spend about $300 million on electrification and $200 million on autonomous vehicle technology from 2022 to 2026. The company contributed over $2.6 million to charitable causes in 2023.
Previously, Pfeifer was president and chief operating officer at Oshkosh Corp. Prior to that, he was senior vice president and president of Mercury Marine. He also was president of Brunswick Marine in Europe, Middle East and Africa and president of Brunswick Asia Pacific Group. Pfeifer serves on the board of The Manitowoc Company, the National Exchange Bank and Trust and Wisconsin Manufacturers and Commerce and is a trustee at Marian University.
Education: Bachelor’s, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor
2022 Wisconsin 275 Profile
Manufacturing
President and CEO
Oshkosh Corp. | Oshkosh
John Pfeifer has led Oshkosh Corp. as president and chief executive officer since 2021. Prior to joining Oshkosh Corp. in 2019, Pfeifer worked for Brunswick Corp. as president of Fond du Lac-based Mercury Marine. He also previously was president of Brunswick Marine in Europe, Middle East and Africa and president of Brunswick Asia Pacific Group. A producer of specialty and access equipment, Oshkosh Corp. is headquartered in Oshkosh and has manufacturing operations in eight states and seven countries. It has more than 14,000 employees across its operations. Last year, the company was awarded a $942 million contract by the U.S. Army to integrate a new weapon system into an infantry carrier vehicle – work that is being done in Oshkosh. To the disappointment of some state and community leaders, the company last year opted to manufacture a new fleet of mail delivery vehicles for the U.S. Postal Service in South Carolina after not finding a suitable production location in its home state.
Education: Bachelor’s, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor
What advice would you give to a young professional?
“Be curious and be a lifelong learner. During my career, curiosity led me to live and work in 5 countries on 3 continents. The diversity of experiences, people and perspectives provided a strong foundation for my career.”
What has been your/your company’s most significant success over the last 12 months?
“At Oshkosh Corporation, our purpose is making a difference in people’s lives. We do this by serving people in our communities that do the most difficult and dangerous work. It is our job to provide them with purpose-built vehicles and equipment that deliver productivity, intuitive use and safety. We are a technology company and technologies like electrification, autonomy and connected products are providing us the ability to deliver advanced solutions to the those who rely on our products faster than ever before. In the last 12 months, in nearly every end market we serve, we have introduced battery electric vehicles and equipment.”
What has you most excited about the future?
“Our passion for innovation which continues to drive technology advancements that increase performance, productivity and safety for everyday heroes like firefighters, soldiers, refuse collection workers and those working at great height.”
