AAON, Inc. has announced the appointment of Matt J. Tobolski, PhD, as its next Chief Executive Officer, effective May 13, 2025. He will succeed Gary Fields, who will continue as a member of the Board of Directors and serve as a special advisor to support the leadership transition.
Dr. Tobolski, currently AAON’s President and Chief Operating Officer, will take on the CEO role as the company expands its focus on data center cooling and long-term growth strategies. Before joining AAON, he co-founded BASX Solutions in 2013, a company AAON acquired in 2021. His background includes extensive experience in engineering and HVAC manufacturing, particularly in data center thermal management.
“The Board identified Matt as uniquely suited to lead AAON in its next chapter of growth,” said A.H. "Chip" McElroy II, independent chair of the Board of Directors. “We expect this will be a seamless process, especially in light of Matt’s leadership that we have witnessed over the past three years.”
Dr. Tobolski expressed his enthusiasm for the new role, stating, “It is an honor to be appointed CEO of AAON. By leveraging the innovative spirit and highly talented engineering resources of both AAON and BASX, we are well-positioned to grow the company’s prominence in the industry.”
Fields, who has led the company since 2020, reflected on his tenure, saying, “I am thankful for the opportunity to have led AAON these past few years. I am confident that the executive leadership team, led by Matt, will take the company to the next level.”
Over the next three months, Fields and Tobolski will collaborate to ensure a smooth transition as AAON continues its expansion efforts in high-performance HVAC solutions.
