Galileo Wheel Appoints Chris Rice as Executive Vice President of Sales to Lead US Market Expansion

Industry veteran who scaled previous company to hundreds of millions in revenue joins to accelerate growth in material handling, construction and agricultural markets

Caesarea, August 20, 2025 – Galileo Wheel, creator of breakthrough CupWheel airless tire technology, announced today the appointment of Chris Rice as Executive Vice President of Sales. Rice brings nearly three decades of leadership experience in the US material handling market, having most recently served as President and CEO at Welch, where he scaled the business to hundreds of millions in revenue over just four years.

In his new role, Rice will spearhead Galileo Wheel's expansion across North American markets, leveraging his deep expertise in material handling equipment and proven track record of building high-performing sales organizations. His appointment comes as demand for Galileo's airless tire solutions continues to accelerate in the US and Canada.

During his 28-year tenure at Welch, Rice led diverse teams totaling almost 400 employees across 17 divisions, earning top dealer awards from Raymond, Toyota, Taylor, Interlake, and other major manufacturers. His servant leadership approach focused on aggressive scalable growth while building strong company culture and maintaining industry-leading market share.

"I'm thrilled to join Galileo Wheel at such an exciting time in the company's growth," said Chris Rice. "Creating a tire that works like a track is a genuine breakthrough that solves real problems for operators: eliminating downtime, reducing maintenance costs, and improving productivity. Having spent my career helping customers maximize their equipment performance, I know how transformative this technology can be. I look forward to expanding our reach and helping more businesses discover the competitive advantages of going airless."

Rice's appointment reinforces Galileo Wheel's commitment to aggressive US market expansion as the company scales production of its airless irrigation, skid steer and telehandler tire lines.