NORTHGATE - Key Persons
Andy Goggins is CEO and owner of NorthGate and leads the vision and strategic planning of the company.
Andy joined the family business in 1993, committed to learning the vision of his father and company founder, Jack Goggins. Now in the role of CEO, Andy leads NorthGate to even greater heights. Andy's "Big Picture" mindset comes from his years of invaluable experience working and leading within every department of NorthGate: assembly, operations, logistics and sales. Exceeding Customer Expectations is of the utmost importance to Andy; he has driven company trucks, assisted in assembly, sparked new innovative designs, and delivered out of the box solutions.
After graduating from Flint's Powers Catholic High School and before joining NorthGate, Andy studied Business Administration and Management at Arizona State University.
Andy is passionate in serving his local community, currently holding the position of Vice-President on the Board of Directors for the Boys and Girls Club of Greater Flint. Committed to Flint's future in Education and Catholic Faith, Andy was a 10 year board member of the relocation committee in the launch of the new state-of-the-art campus for Flint's Powers Catholic High School. Andy also sits on the Strategic Board of Directors for the Flint & Genesee Chamber of Commerce. Andy's most loyal supporter and partner is his beautiful wife of 22 years, Sarah. They have two children, Drew and Lily.
Job Titles:
- Director of Customer and Community Engagement
- Sales & New Business
Emily de Araujo Snider, Director of Customer and Community Engagement; Michelle Hill, Director of Packaging Solutions; George Wilkinson, President; Andy Goggins, CEO; Nicole Wellman, Director of Supply Chain Services and IT; Kathy Vermilya, Senior Accountant
Emily is responsible for NorthGate Business Development, Customer and Community Engagement, Marketing, and Design Engineering.
Prior to joining NorthGate in 2019, Emily was an Account Manager at Magna International and Nichia Corporation, establishing new business programs and managing global multi-million dollar accounts. Her training comes from a technical background, having completed internships in Manufacturing and Design Engineering at Procter & Gamble and General Electric.
Emily holds a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering and a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from the University of Notre Dame, where she was also active in club women's boxing and service leadership through the University's Center for Social Concerns.
Emily currently serves on the National Board of Directors for Notre Dame Women Connect and is active in volunteering in her local community.
George serves as President of NorthGate and is responsible for the successful integration and operational leadership of all departments.
Prior to joining NorthGate in 2017, George was Group Vice President with the Flint & Genesee Chamber of Commerce, where he oversaw the Economic Development, Shared Services, Grants, Communications and Marketing, and the Convention and Visitors Bureau business units. Other past positions include Chief Operating Officer and President of Walker International Transportation, and Vice President with Dana Corporation. George also served as a General Motors executive for Global Logistics, with responsibility for its $5.7 billion global logistics supply chain.
George holds a Bachelor in Business Management from Southern University and a Master of Science in Administration degree from Central Michigan University.
George believes strongly in leading and serving his local community. He currently serves as pastor of Word of Life Christian Church (WOLCC), which he established in April of 2007 in his hometown of Flint, Michigan. He also serves on many local boards, including Hamilton Community Health Network, United Way of Genesee County, YMCA Foundation, and the Child Health and Development Advisory Board. George previously held the position of Board Chair of the Community Foundation of Greater Flint from 2017-2019. George was instrumental in the development of the Moving Flint Forward Fund, which provided the Flint-area business community with grants totaling over $900,000 during the Flint Water Crisis.
As the Director of Finance, James Distelrath, CPA is responsible for the company's financial strategy as well as all aspects of accounting, finance and purchasing.
Prior to joining NorthGate in 2020, Jim held numerous executive-level finance positions, primarily at community banking institutions. Jim started his career as an auditor at Crowe Chizek in 1996.
Jim was born in Detroit, MI and has lived in Michigan his entire life including earning a Bachelors Degree in Accounting from Michigan State University. He is active in the community, serving as the chair of the finance committee for Church of the Holy Family, the State Director of Convention of States - Michigan, and the past president of the board of Family Promise of Genesee County.
Job Titles:
- Director of Packaging Solutions
Michelle has the responsibility of leading NorthGate's manufacturing operations, where she is accountable for the production workforce and the overall efficiency of operations.
Before being appointed as the Director of Packaging Solutions, Michelle held the role of Director of Enrichment Operations & Continuous Improvement Initiatives, leading the NorthGate Enrichment Center where employees receive education and training to advance their personal and professional lives. Prior to joining NorthGate, Michelle served as the Director of Shared Services for the Flint and Genesee Chamber of Commerce. In this role she was responsible for facilitating the collaborative efforts of for-profit, nonprofit and community leaders. Michelle has an extensive background in leadership with over 20 years of managerial and executive experience within multiple General Motors facilities. She has led many diverse teams in the areas of manufacturing, supply chain management, and quality systems.
Born and raised in Saginaw, MI, Michelle earned her Bachelor of Arts in Supply Chain Management at Michigan State University. She is certified in Leadership Effectiveness Analysis™, The Five Behaviors® a Wiley Brand, and is an Everything DiSC® by Wiley® Authorized Partner. She specializes in problem-solving and empowering team members to see their potential and achieve their goals.
Job Titles:
- Director of Supply Chain Services and IT
- Supply Chain Services
Nicole leads the operations of NorthGate's Supply Chain Services division, providing direction and execution of the overall vision of NorthGate, working closely with the customer to maintain our strong partnership along with execution of continuous improvement initiatives. She is also responsible for the NorthGate Information Technology (IT) department, where she manages and deploys new technical projects designed to help the organization achieve its business goals.
Nicole has built a career of vast and diverse knowledge within the Supply Chain Services industry, with more than 17 years at NorthGate. Prior to becoming the Director of Supply Chain Services, Nicole has held positions of leadership within multiple NorthGate departments including: Safety, Quality, Purchasing, with a primary focus in Operations and IT.
Born and raised in Flushing, MI, Nicole earned her Bachelor of Information Technology degree at Baker College in Flint, MI. She also holds a Masters in Science with a concentration in Database and Knowledge Management from Boston University.
Nicole specializes in leading teams in the design and execution of custom solutions with precision and agility, building customer satisfaction and confidence. With her broad multi-disciplinary experience, Nicole is passionate about creating holistic solutions that are customer focused and aligned with the vision and mission of NorthGate.