Leadership

Andy Goggins is CEO and owner of NorthGate and leads the vision and strategic planning of the company.

Andy joined the family business in 1993, committed to learning the vision of his father and company founder, Jack Goggins.  Now in the role of CEO, Andy leads NorthGate to even greater heights.  Andy’s “Big Picture” mindset comes from his years of invaluable experience working and leading within every department of NorthGate: assembly, operations, logistics and sales.  Exceeding Customer Expectations is of the utmost importance to Andy; he has driven company trucks, assisted in assembly, sparked new innovative designs, and delivered out of the box solutions.

After graduating from Flint’s Powers Catholic High School and before joining NorthGate, Andy studied Business Administration and Management at Arizona State University.

Andy is passionate in serving his local community, currently holding the position of Vice-President on the Board of Directors for the Boys and Girls Club of Greater Flint.  Committed to Flint's future in Education and Catholic Faith, Andy was a 10 year board member of the relocation committee in the launch of the new state-of-the-art campus for Flint's Powers Catholic High School.  Andy also sits on the Strategic Board of Directors for the Flint & Genesee Chamber of Commerce. Andy’s most loyal supporter and partner is his beautiful wife of 22 years, Sarah.  They have two children, Drew and Lily.

George serves as President of NorthGate and is responsible for the successful integration and operational leadership of all departments.

Prior to joining NorthGate in 2017, George was Group Vice President with the Flint & Genesee Chamber of Commerce, where he oversaw the Economic Development, Shared Services, Grants, Communications and Marketing, and the Convention and Visitors Bureau business units. Other past positions include Chief Operating Officer and President of Walker International Transportation, and Vice President with Dana Corporation. George also served as a General Motors executive for Global Logistics, with responsibility for its $5.7 billion global logistics supply chain.

George holds a Bachelor in Business Management from Southern University and a Master of Science in Administration degree from Central Michigan University.

George believes strongly in leading and serving his local community. He currently serves as pastor of Word of Life Christian Church (WOLCC), which he established in April of 2007 in his hometown of Flint, Michigan. He also serves on many local boards, including Hamilton Community Health Network, United Way of Genesee County, YMCA Foundation, and the Child Health and Development Advisory Board. George previously held the position of Board Chair of the Community Foundation of Greater Flint from 2017-2019. George was instrumental in the development of the Moving Flint Forward Fund, which provided the Flint-area business community with grants totaling over $900,000 during the Flint Water Crisis.

As the Director of Finance and Operations, James Distelrath, CPA is responsible for the company's financial strategy as well as all aspects of accounting, finance and purchasing.

Prior to joining NorthGate in 2020, Jim held numerous executive-level finance positions, primarily at community banking institutions. Jim started his career as an auditor at Crowe Chizek in 1996.

Jim was born in Detroit, MI and has lived in Michigan his entire life including earning a Bachelors Degree in Accounting from Michigan State University. He is active in the community, serving as the chair of the finance committee for Church of the Holy Family, the State Director of Convention of States – Michigan, and the past president of the board of Family Promise of Genesee County.

Mia Turner is the Director of Human Resources at NorthGate. In this role, Mia provides strategic direction and operational leadership for the total landscape of human resources and serves as a member of the Company’s Leadership Team.

Prior to joining NorthGate in 2021, Mia was with Toyota (TMMI) as a Sr. Project Manager in Production Control. Earlier experiences included Senior Commercial Training Officer for the Bank of Oklahoma, overseeing training and development for Treasury Services Division in a four-state market area. She also held the position of City Clerk of the City of Pauls Valley, Oklahoma, serving as the City’s Human Resource Manager.

Born and raised in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, Mia earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Public Administration from the University of Oklahoma and a Master of Education degree in Training & Development from the University of Central Oklahoma. She is active in ministry and the community and is a proud member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc., a community service organization.

Nicole leads the operations of NorthGate’s Supply Chain Services division, providing direction and execution of the overall vision of NorthGate, working closely with the customer to maintain our strong partnership along with execution of continuous improvement initiatives. She is also responsible for the NorthGate Information Technology (IT) department, where she manages and deploys new technical projects designed to help the organization achieve its business goals.

Nicole has built a career of vast and diverse knowledge within the Supply Chain Services industry, with more than 17 years at NorthGate. Prior to becoming the Director of Supply Chain Services, Nicole has held positions of leadership within multiple NorthGate departments including: Safety, Quality, Purchasing, with a primary focus in Operations and IT.

Born and raised in Flushing, MI, Nicole earned her Bachelor of Information Technology degree at Baker College in Flint, MI. She also holds a Masters in Science with a concentration in Database and Knowledge Management from Boston University.

Nicole specializes in leading teams in the design and execution of custom solutions with precision and agility, building customer satisfaction and confidence. With her broad multi-disciplinary experience, Nicole is passionate about creating holistic solutions that are customer focused and aligned with the vision and mission of NorthGate.

Emily is responsible for NorthGate Business Development, Community Engagement, Marketing, Engineering, and Quality.

Prior to joining NorthGate in 2019, Emily was an Account Manager at Magna International and Nichia Corporation, establishing new business programs and managing global multi-million dollar accounts.  Her training comes from a technical background, having completed internships in Manufacturing and Design Engineering at Procter & Gamble and General Electric.

Emily holds a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering and a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from the University of Notre Dame, where she was also active in club women's boxing and service leadership through the University's Center for Social Concerns.

Emily previously served on the National Board of Directors for University of Notre Dame Women Connect and is active in volunteering in her local community.