Dallas-based Continental Battery Systems (CBS), a leading wholly owned distributor of aftermarket batteries serving North American automotive, commercial, and specialty markets, has named Mike Harris as its new chief executive officer.

Harris succeeds Chris Alberta, who will transition to executive chairman of the board, where he will continue to support the company’s strategic path forward.

Harris brings more than two decades of leadership experience in large-scale distribution, operations, and commercial growth.

“Mike is a proven operator with deep experience scaling distribution platforms in the aftermarket space,” Alberta said in a statement. “He is the ideal leader to guide CBS through its next phase of growth.”

Most recently, Harris was president of Irving-based FleetPride, the nation’s largest independent distributor of heavy-duty aftermarket parts and service solutions. During his tenure, Harris led multiple functions of the business focused on operational excellence, improving the customer experience, optimizing the supply chain, and cultural alignment across a complex national footprint, CBS said.

Backed by H.I.G. Capital, CBS in the last two years has completed key integration and stabilization efforts and is now focused on driving operational excellence, boosting commercial execution, and leveraging its wholly owned and fully integrated national footprint to provide unique solutions to support customers across a broad range of end markets, the company said.

“I’m honored to join Continental Battery Systems and build on the progress the team has made,” Harris said. “CBS has a strong heritage, a differentiated national platform, and tremendous opportunity ahead. My focus will be on disciplined execution and empowering our teams to provide a best-in-class customer experience that delivers long-term sustainable growth.”

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