Hewitt, Texas – September 17, 2026 -- UTEM, a Hewitt, Texas-based manufacturer of purpose-built aerial lift trucks for the fiber, telecommunications, municipal and utility sectors, has appointed Kim Zander as Chief Executive Officer.
Kirk Zander steps back to President as company adds first CEO
Kirk Zander, who has led UTEM, will continue in the role of President, retaining the same relationships and points of contact with customers and partners. The company described the appointment as timed to "its next phase of growth," with Kim Zander spending the coming months meeting employees, customers and partners nationwide to build an operational understanding of the business.
Existing contracts and service commitments remain unaffected
UTEM said current projects, service agreements and delivery timelines are unchanged under the new leadership structure. The manufacturer, founded in 1975, builds and services all equipment in the USA and typically fulfills orders in three to six months -- a fraction of standard industry lead times -- ranging from single custom units to large fleet orders. UTEM is credited with pioneering the fiber-splicing truck category within the aerial lift equipment market.