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Josh Ayer Named CEO of H&V

Ayer succeeds Val Hollingsworth, who has held the role for 24 years

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By: Tara Olivo

Associate Editor at Nonwovens Industry, Rodman Media

After a multi-year succession process, H&V’s Board of Directors has chosen H&V chief operations officer Josh Ayer as the company’s new CEO. Ayer will succeed Val Hollingsworth, who is stepping out of the role of CEO after 24 years – and after 42 years with the company. Hollingsworth will continue as chair of H&V’s Board of Directors.


Josh Ayer and Val Hollingsworth
“We are delighted to be able to turn to Josh to lead H&V in our next chapter of growth and development,” Hollingsworth says. “He has been an outstanding leader in his years at H&V and will do a great job as CEO. H&V has had several non-Hollingsworth family CEOs in its long history, and we are proud that there are seventh-generation members of our family working for H&V. We know that Josh will continue to operate the company with the same values, long-term view and family-oriented culture that H&V is built on. The H&V Board and I look forward to working with him in the years ahead.”

Ayer joined H&V in 2009 as vice president and managing director of the Asia Pacific Region, following 10 years at General Electric. He helped lead the development and growth of H&V’s business in Asia. In 2015, Ayer became president of the Engine and Industrial Filtration Division, and in 2020, he took the role of vice president and managing director of H&V’s Americas Region. He officially became CEO as of H&V’s annual Shareholders Meeting on April 5, 2022.

“I am excited about H&V’s future and my new role with the company. It is an amazing opportunity to help lead a truly innovative company as it moves forward,” Ayer says. “H&V has a lot of great people and great customers. We will continue H&V’s long-term commitment to be a values-driven company focused on innovation, technology and to making a meaningful contribution to the world.”

A sixth-generation member of the Hollingsworth family, Val Hollingsworth first joined the company in 1976 working as a night shift supervisor and a production and plant manager. He became president in 1997 and CEO in 1998. Under Hollingsworth, H&V expanded from mainly a regional U.S. business into a global company with 13 R&D and manufacturing facilities in strategic locations across three continents. He also kept H&V focused on innovation and guided the company’s strategic response to the Covid-19 pandemic.

“I am very thankful to our customers, employees and shareholders for supporting H&V so well for all these years,” Hollingsworth says. “This has been an incredible journey for all of us at H&V. But despite our near 300-year history, H&V has always been a forward-looking company. Josh and I both believe H&V is well positioned for the future and we are excited about the opportunities ahead.”

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