Al Hooper
Founder & Vice President — ahooper@svine.com
As a firefighter, EMT, and mechanic for the Town of Wrentham, Massachusetts for more than 25 years, Al Hooper became aware of the importance of emergency vehicles. Through his research and analysis, he learned why some emergency vehicles performed better than others. In 1987, Al put this education to use and founded Specialty Vehicles. He wanted to provide his customers with vehicles of the quality they deserved. He has been selling ambulances ever since and continues to take pride in offering the best possible emergency medical vehicles available in today’s market. He formerly served as President until August of 2003 and currently serves as Vice President. Al’s customers appreciate his vast knowledge and extensive experience in the field.
Mark Hooper
President — mhooper@svine.com
Beginning his third decade in business, Mark has worked closely with his father Al, since 1990 — first as General Manager and now, as President. He has been a driving force in the successful expansion of the family business. He oversees all daily operations and continues to exercise his skill in sales. Mark’s desire to stay in contact with customers is indicative of the company’s philosophy. Mark is innovative by nature, often calling upon the extensive knowledge he has learned during the past 20+ years.
Dawna Lewis
Office Manager — dlewis@svine.com
Dawna’s college education in Business Administration has served as an asset for her involvement with the day-to-day operations. She has worked closely with both her father Al, and brother Mark, since the company began. Besides overseeing the general operations of the business, Dawna provides our customers with direction whenever any necessary actions require special attention. She offers outstanding communication skills, attention to detail, and is very service-oriented with a dedication to satisfying the needs and concerns of our customers.
Ashley Dufault
Receptionist/Administrative Assistant — frontdesk@svine.com
Ashley’s background in Communications has allowed her to be involved in various aspects of business, including marketing, executive assistance, and operations. When she is not assisting staff and leadership or representing Specialty Vehicles, Inc. at the front desk, Ashley uses her communications skills to assist in special projects. She is committed to attention-to-detail and service with a smile.
Chris Berlo
Service & Parts Manager — cberlo@svine.com
Chris has a combined 35 years in the automotive industry with almost 20 of those years dedicated to the emergency vehicle industry. Chris has worked with and become familiar with many emergency vehicle lines. His experience in writing, organizing and bidding on refurbishment projects has given Chris a vast knowledge and experience in multiple areas of emergency vehicles. Chris’ many years of involvement in both a Service and Parts department helps him quickly organize and assist in customers’ daily needs. He also provides an optimal level of customer support that includes speedy resolutions to customer service issues. He also specializes in managing a competent staff to meet customer expectations and beyond.
James Vidinha
Service Advisor — service@svine.com
James brings 15+ years of automotive knowledge and experience in all aspects of the dealer operations. A key component in his position is identifying that the customer’s experience is an integral part of gaining and retaining customer loyalty. He believes in giving nothing less than his best at all times and is very customer service oriented. James is aware of the urgency of getting an out-of-service vehicle back into operation. He takes great pride in keeping parts well stocked in the parts department and readily available to our customers.
David Pierce
Ambulance Sales — davidp@svine.com
David Pierce came to SVI with approximately 5 years of experience in ambulance sales and 35 years of experience in the Fire & EMS industry, having obtained the rank of Captain Fire Inspector. His duties in the Fire & EMS service included developing specifications for equipment and apparatus purchases within his department, which has served him well in his current role in ambulance sales. David has an associate’s degree in Fire Science, a bachelor’s degree in Fire Science, and a master’s degree in Public Administration. He is also a graduate of the Executive Fire Officer program at the National Fire Academy in Emmitsburg, Maryland. In addition, David is a graduate of the Massachusetts Chief Fire Officer Program at the Massachusetts Fire Academy.
David is happily married with two children and two beloved yellow labs. He splits his time between his hometown on Cape Cod, MA, and vacationing in Maine. David enjoys boating and jet skiing on Long Lake during the summer months and snowmobiling in Maine during the winter. David’s sales territory includes the Worcester, Middlesex, and Essex counties in Massachusetts, and the state of Maine. His expertise in the Fire & EMS industry is an asset to SVI and the customers we serve.
Paul Grondalski
Fire Apparatus Sales — paulg@svine.com
Paul brings over 13 years of experience in the Fire Apparatus and Ambulances industry, previously with Pierce Fire Apparatus and Road Rescue Ambulances. Before those roles, Paul served nearly 20 years as a firefighter for Lime Rock Fire District in Rhode Island. Paul’s wide breadth of in-role experience and unwavering passion is an invaluable asset to Specialty Vehicles in providing the expansion of the Rosenbauer Fire Apparatus and Life Line Emergency Vehicles product lines.
Chad McCormack
Fire Apparatus Sales — chadm@svine.com
Chad McCormack is our fire apparatus sales team covering Eastern Massachusetts. Chad joined the Beverly Fire Department in Beverly, MA in 2009 as a Firefighter/EMT; in 2014 he was promoted to Lieutenant. During his tenure at the fire department, Chad has served as a Public Information Officer, Public Educator, as well as a member of the Hazardous Mitigation Team. Prior to working in the fire service Chad was a master certified ASE Mechanic and Master Certified Lexus Technician at IRA Lexus in Danvers, MA where he served as the shop foreman. Chad is a veteran of the United States Air Force where he served as a jet engine mechanic. He is currently pursuing his degree in Fire Science. Chad has received training from Ferrara Fire Apparatus on all of their product lines.
Joe Bevilacqua
Fire Apparatus Sales — joeb@svine.com
With over a decade of fire service expertise, Joe is an asset to our fire apparatus sales team. A resident of Rindge, NH, he is currently a Lieutenant with the Rindge Fire Department and understands the challenges departments face today. Joe became interested in fire apparatus sales after heading up a committee to purchase a pumper for his own department in 2016. After taking on the challenge of developing a specification for a fire apparatus and coordinating with multiple manufacturers, his passion for becoming a resource for New England fire departments grew. Joe is committed to making the process of buying a fire apparatus significantly easier, and his unique experience with the Rosenbauer product line perfectly positions him to do just that.