Altus Fire & Life Safety appoints Cary B. Wood as CEO

NEW YORK—Altus Fire & Life Safety, a provider of fire protection and life safety services, has announced the appointment of Cary B. Wood as president and chief executive officer, and as a member of the board of directors. Wood will begin his role as CEO of Altus on Dec. 1, 2025.

Wood is a highly experienced executive who brings over three decades of experience in private equity-backed and public company settings, most recently serving as chief executive officer and a member of the board of directors of Grede Holdings LLC, a North American manufacturer and supplier of ductile iron castings for automotive, commercial vehicle, off-highway equipment and industrial end markets.

He rejoined Grede in 2019, having previously held leadership positions at the company between 2004-2008, including as interim CEO of its predecessor, Citation Corp. Before rejoining Grede, he held a number of other CEO roles, most notably as the CEO of Sparton Corp. from 2008-2016.

Prior to that, Wood began his career with General Motors Corp. and then United Technologies, where he served in a series of progressive roles in engineering, operations and general management. He holds a B.S. from Purdue University, a M.S. from Lawrence Technological University, and an M.B.A. from Loyola University-Chicago in Chicago.

“I am thrilled to join the Altus Fire & Life Safety team, which has built a strong reputation as a leader in delivering world-class fire and life safety solutions,” said Wood. “Altus has established an outstanding platform through its commitment to quality, service, and safety, and I look forward to working with the team to build on that success. Together, we’ll continue to grow across existing and new markets, strengthen our customer partnerships, and deliver best-in-class fire and life safety solutions.”

“Cary’s extensive leadership experience and deep operational expertise make him well suited to guide Altus through its next chapter,” noted Nedu Ottih, partner at Apax Partners and a member of the company’s board of directors. “As Altus continues to execute on its proven strategy and pursue growth through its core operations and strategic acquisitions, his leadership will further strengthen the company’s position as a leader in fire and life safety.”