President/CEO, East Penn Manufacturing Co.
Chris Pruitt currently serves as President/CEO of East Penn Manufacturing Co. Inc., maker of Deka Batteries. East Penn Manufacturing is the largest privately-held battery manufacturer in the world, with over 10,000 employees. Pruitt also serves on the Board of Directors of East Penn Manufacturing Co., and the company’s Family Council and Foundation. He has been with the company since May 1994.
He joined East Penn as Controller, and has held numerous financial positions, including Chief Financial Officer. Prior to joining East Penn, Pruitt was a CPA at Ernst & Young for ten years, holding the position of Senior Manager in the Audit Division. While working at Ernst & Young, he earned his Certified Public Accountant designation. Pruitt earned a BSBA degree in accounting from Shippensburg University in 1984. Pruitt currently serves on several industry boards, including Chair of the Battery Council International (BCI), Motor & Equipment Manufacturers Association (MEMA), and the University of the Aftermarket Foundation.
Pruitt currently serves on the Board of Flinchbaugh Engineering in York, Pennsylvania and Burnham Holdings in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. Formerly, he was the Chairman of the Board of the Wyomissing Foundation, and The United Way of Berks County; Board Member of YMCA; President and Treasurer of The Children’s Home of Reading; Board Member of Big Brothers/ Big Sisters; Board Member of the Children Advisory Center; Treasurer and Board Member of The Reading Area Community College Foundation; Audit Committee Chairman and Board Member of the Berks Community Foundation.
In December 2016, Pruitt received the Eugene L. Shirk Award for Community Builder. This annual community award is given by Berks Community Television.
In December 2015, Pruitt received the Sydney D. Kline Award for Outstanding Community Service. He was honored in 2013 by the YMCA for his community service. Also in 2013, he was named CFO of the Year by the Lehigh Valley Business Journal. In March 2011, Pruitt received the Wilburn H. Doran Award for his outstanding work with the United Way and in the Berks County community.
Pruitt and his wife, Robin, have two daughters, Kelly and Lindsay. Kelly and Lindsay both graduated from West Chester University. Kelly is an elementary school teacher and Lindsay is a nurse.
