Natural gas fuel system manufacturer Agility Fuel Systems has named Kathleen Ligocki chief executive officer effective Dec. 3.

Ligocki is replacing Bill Nowicke, who served as the company’s interim CEO since the departure of Barry Engle at the end of July. Nowicke will return to his position as chief operating officer.

Ligocki has a background in the automotive industry and at entrepreneurial technology firms and served as the CEO of organics management solutions company Harvest Power in her most recent position.

Ligocki held executive positions at Ford and United Technologies, where she led operations in the Americas, Europe, Africa, the Middle East and Russia. She began her industrial career at General Motors and currently serves as a director on the board of Lear Corp. She is also a fiduciary board member at the Indiana University Foundation.

She earned a bachelor’s degree in Liberal Studies from Indiana University Kokomo and holds an MBA from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania.

“I am very excited to join Agility at this pivotal time in its development,” said Ligocki. “The continued innovation in Agility’s natural gas fuel systems and a brand new, vertically integrated production facility in North Carolina will position the company to continue serving its expanding base of fleet and OEM customers.”