Member Notice Welcome VMI Leadership

by Katie McDonald

NMEDA DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS & SOCIAL

VMI is excited to announce the transition of Kyle Norton into the role of CEO.

As a Veteran of the U.S. Army and having helped support a loved one who passed from ALS, VMI’s mission is personal.

Kyle’s goals for VMI are a deep focus on (i) quality, (ii) customer experience, and (iii) building a company that VMI’s associates are proud to be a part of. He’s a candid and pragmatic leader who places a high emphasis on integrity, responsiveness, and relationships.

Kyle is committed to achieving growth and success together with VMI’s partners as we collectively provide independence to individuals who face mobility challenges.

NMEDA was able to connect with Kyle recently, tackling a few “get to know you” questions and prying for a sneak peek at the Conference Closing General Session panel on the future of the industry...read on to see what we learned!

My career has spanned a broad range of roles and functions. I served as an Officer in the U.S. Army, twice deploying as part of Operation Iraqi Freedom. Following the military, I was a consultant at McKinsey and Company, working with Fortune 100 companies and focusing on operational transformations in automotive, healthcare, and industrial sectors. I also started and led a venture-backed company in the data and analytics space working with healthcare, industrials, and retailers.

I was drawn to the mobility industry and VMI specifically for three reasons.

First, the mission resonated for me. I wanted to be part of a company that ultimately helped others. I knew fellow Veterans who relied on accessible vehicles in their daily lives and it really resonated.

Third, I wanted to be able to provide a good quality of life for my own family.

While the mission of the industry pulled me in, my understanding of the role our industry plays in people’s lives has grown immensely.

I’ve only been part of this industry for 3 years now, joining VMI in 2019. In that time, there has been a dramatic amount of change and I imagine much more is to come. While that can be scary at times, I believe there is tremendous potential as there are so many families and individuals in need. Our industry will continue to find more and more ways to serve them better with products, services, and support.

The 2 customer situations that tend to get me choked up are (a) young families getting to take vacations and go to new places for the first time, and (b) those individuals trying to best enjoy their remaining days.

As a former Army guy, it’s hard for me to admit but I saw Top Gun recently and absolutely loved it. It was the first time in a movie theater for me since COVID and the action scenes on the big screen were incredible.

For me NMEDA represents two things; community and standards. On the community side, my perspective is that what we collectively do isn’t easy. It’s good and helpful to have relationships and friends who can help solve challenges and support customers. On the standards side, I think it’s important that we work together to always do right by our customers (quality, safety, and support).

I grew up in small town, western Pennsylvania, and love sports. I was fortunate to be able to play baseball while in college. Today there is no baseball being played but I’ve gotten myself into running and cycling.

I have 2 young girls ages 7 and 5 and have been happily married for 17 years.

I’m excited to engage with NMEDA, our industry, and the organizations we work with to support customers. It’s my goal to demonstrate that VMI is 100% committed to quality and customer experience. I know we won’t always be perfect, but we will work hard to be forthright and honest partners in our pursuit of being the best that we can be.

Kyle will be a panelist on the NMEDA Annual Conference stage as a part of our Closing General Session panel discussion on the future of the industry. Learn more about this session on page 31.