For Immediate Release
Freedman Seating Company Names Christy Nunes and Sam Cardone Chief Operations Officers
Chicago, IL – Freedman Seating announced today the promotion of Christy Nunes and Sam Cardone to Chief Operations Officers, respectively, effective immediately. Nunes previously held the position of Director of Business Operations and Cardone the position of Director of Strategy.
“Over the years, Christy and Sam have both grown in responsibility and authority at Freedman Seating and Freedman Mobility Seating (FMS),” said Dan Cohen, President. “Because of their leadership, business acumen, and management skills, we have grown and weathered some tough storms. They have shown themselves to be exemplary and capable leaders.”
Having joined the company in 1996, Christy Nunes exemplifies internal growth and opportunity. Her introduction to manufacturing was that of many young adults at the time, simply a job. As she moved through the company from Receptionist to Customer Service, Christy realized the long-term opportunities available in manufacturing despite its reputation as being a male-dominated industry. Over the next two decades, Christy became one of the most respected people in the bus world. As Freedman’s Director of Customer Service, she continued to advance the company’s long history of impeccable service. In 2011, Freedman Seating purchased the assets of Braun Seating, a well-known company in Rochester, Indiana servicing the needs of the mobility van market. Christy was named Managing Director of the rebranded Freedman Mobility Seating. Under her leadership, FMS developed a new line of luxury seating products for the growing executive shuttle market.
Christy’s desire to learn existed on the job and in the classroom. She completed her B.S. in Business Administration and Management from Loyola University of Chicago in 2017. That year, Christy was promoted to Director of Business Operations. Under her leadership, Freedman Seating and FMS would continue to grow in market share and product development. New solutions such as Passenger Protective Equipment have shown the versatility of Christy’s direction, and the ability to meet the industry’s evolving needs while maintaining record sales year-over-year. In her new role, Christy will oversee manufacturing, customer service, and supply chain operations including purchasing, sourcing, inventory, shipping and receiving.
In 2008, Sam Cardone joined Freedman Seating’s engineering team as an intern. After graduating from the University of Illinois at Chicago with a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering, Sam was offered a full-time position as Project Engineer. His tenure in engineering would see him as Lead Project Engineer and eventually Engineering Manager. In his new role, Sam will oversee engineering, manufacturing engineering, metals production, quality control and testing/compliance, information technology, accounting, and maintenance.
Sam was promoted to Director of Strategy in 2016, a company first. His focus on strategic planning and advancing key success metrics have resulted in measurable strategic objectives and standardized protocols throughout the production process. In 2017, Sam earned his M.B.A. in General Management, Strategic Management and Finance from The University of Chicago Booth School of Business. In his new role, Sam will oversee engineering, manufacturing engineering, quality control and testing/compliance, information technology, accounting, and metals production.
Christy and Sam have worked in tandem as Directors within production and are key players as the company looks ahead to further invest in advanced manufacturing and its greatest asset, people.
Founded in 1894, Freedman Seating is a family-owned and operated company. As North America’s leader in transportation seating and safety solutions, FSC designs, engineers, and manufactures products for many different markets, including small bus, mid-size coach, heavy-duty transit, rail, marine, delivery truck, and paratransit. Freedman Seating is an ISO 9001 registered company.
Contact: John-Paul Paonessa, Marketing Manager
Phone: 773-524-2440
Email: jp.paonessa@freedmanseating.com