PEL Supply, Cleveland, Ohio, has announced that the company has been purchased by PEL LLC, Cleveland, a private company led by Michael A. Sotak, who also assumes the positions of president and CEO. Sotak has more than 22 years of experience in the medical products industry. He spent the past six years as an executive at Invacare, headquartered in Elyria, Ohio. Prior to joining Invacare, he was president and chief operating officer at a distribution company.
“It’s an incredible honor to assume the leadership role at PEL,” Sotak said. “I look forward to working together with all those in the O&P community to ensure we continue PEL’s rich tradition of serving its customers. I have a vested interest in the continued growth of the company and the ongoing success of all our customers.”
The ownership change was announced concurrently with the August 1 retirement of Gary Mahler, president, and Paulette Vaughn, executive vice president at PEL Supply Company. Vaughn is the daughter of founder Paul E. Leimkuehler.
“My brothers and I are enthusiastic about the changes at PEL,” Vaughn said. “We believe we have found the perfect scenario to ensure the future of PEL and all stakeholders. When Gary announced his intent to retire we began a search for a new president. We did not originally plan to sell the business, but after meeting Mike Sotak and understanding his potential plans for PEL, we decided the fit and the timing of the sale was right.”
