CALGARY, Canada--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sep 28, 2026--
Blackline Safety, a global leader in connected safety technology, today announced the appointment of Jon Baldwin as Chief Executive Officer. Baldwin succeeds Cody Slater, who, after more than 15 years as CEO, will transition to Board Chair and Chief Architect, continuing to help shape the company’s product and technology vision.
This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260928198943/en/
Baldwin brings more than 20 years of leadership experience across connected technology, sensing and hardware businesses. Most recently, he led Verra Mobility’s Government Solutions business, a connected platform for traffic safety. Previously, Baldwin served as President of Fortive’s Gems Sensors & Controls business and held senior leadership roles at Fortive’s Tektronix, Texas Instruments, National Semiconductor and Analog Devices.
“Blackline has built something truly differentiated — a connected safety platform that brings together purpose-built hardware, software, connectivity and data to protect people working in some of the world’s most demanding environments,” said Baldwin. “I’m excited to join a company with such a strong mission, talented team and significant opportunity ahead. Cody and the Blackline team have built an exceptional foundation, and I look forward to building on that success and bringing Blackline’s technology to even more workers around the world.”
Under Slater’s leadership, Blackline transformed from an emerging technology company into a global leader in connected worker safety. Annual revenue has grown from C$2 million in fiscal 2011 to over C$150 million in fiscal 2025. During that period, Blackline expanded from lone-worker technology into a global connected safety platform spanning gas detection, area monitoring, communications, cloud software and data analytics.
“Everything we’ve built at Blackline starts with protecting workers and using technology to help bring people home safe,” said Slater. “I’m incredibly proud of how our team has turned that mission into a global connected safety company, and I believe the opportunity ahead of us is even greater. Jon brings an impressive combination of technology leadership, global operating experience and a proven ability to scale businesses, and I’m looking forward to working with him as Blackline continues to define the boundaries of what connected safety can do.”
“Blackline’s customers trust its technology with the safety of their people every day, and that trust is the foundation of the business,” said Mac Fountain, Principal at Francisco Partners. “Jon knows how to take great products to more customers in more markets, and we are excited for him to extend Blackline’s reach and build on its product leadership.”
Christine Wang, Partner at Francisco Partners added, “Cody’s leadership has shaped Blackline into the company it is today, and we’re pleased that he will remain an important part of its future as Board Chair and Chief Architect.”
About Blackline Safety: Blackline Safety is a technology leader driving innovation in the industrial workforce through IoT (Internet of Things). With connected safety devices and predictive analytics, Blackline enables companies to drive towards increased safety and improved operational performance. Blackline provides wearable devices, personal and area gas monitoring, cloud-connected software and data analytics to meet demanding safety challenges and enhance overall productivity for organizations with customers in more than 75 countries. Armed with cellular and satellite connectivity, Blackline provides a lifeline to tens of thousands of people, having reported over 336 billion data-points and initiated over eight million emergency alerts. For more information, visit BlacklineSafety.com and connect with us on Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), LinkedIn and Instagram.
About Francisco Partners
Francisco Partners is a leading global investment firm that specializes in partnering with technology and technology-enabled businesses. For more than 25 years, the firm has invested in over 500 technology companies, making it one of the industry’s most active and longstanding investors. With more than $75 billion in capital raised, Francisco Partners combines deep sector knowledge and operational expertise to help its portfolio companies realize their full potential. For more information, visit franciscopartners.com.
Blackline Safety announced Jon Baldwin as CEO, effective Sept. 28, 2026.
PUERTO SAN CARLOS, Mexico (AP) — Residents of Mexico’s Baja California Sur state boarded up homes and workers hauled dirt and rubble to shore up embankments as Hurricane Polo bore down on the peninsula Monday, threatening high winds, floods and mudslides. Meanwhile, Hurricane Nolo could still bring torrential rain to parts of Hawaii even as the storm edged away from the state.
In Puerto San Carlos, a fishing town of about 5,700 people, some feared high tides and pounding waves from Polo could breach barriers and send seawater into the community. Some families planned to head to shelters in Ciudad Constitucion, about 37 miles (60 kilometers) away, while dozens of people elsewhere in the state were evacuated.
“Civil Protection told those of us here in San Carlos to evacuate because this is a high-risk area. With the current tides, the expected waves and the wind, the earthen barriers they built (to prevent flooding) could give way,” Rocío Sánchez, a fisherwoman, said.
Polo was a Category 3 storm with top sustained winds of 115 mph (185 kph) Monday morning, the U.S. National Hurricane Center in Miami said. Forecasters said it would hit the Mexican mainland after lashing Baja California Sur with heavy rains, potentially causing life-threatening flooding and mudslides. It could bring heavy rain and flooding to parts of the U.S. Southwest later in the week.
“Polo is forecast to be near major hurricane strength when it reaches Baja California Sur later today, and is anticipated to be a hurricane when it makes landfall in mainland Mexico late tonight or early Tuesday morning,” the center said.
As swirling clouds and strong winds marked the region, Laura Velázquez, national coordinator of Mexico’s Civil Protection Agency, reported that Polo would make landfall later in the afternoon.
At a Monday morning news briefing, she urged residents to stay off the streets and seek shelter if their homes are at risk. She said travel will be suspended in the area where the hurricane was expected to make landfall and that ports across the region would be closed.
Nolo, meanwhile, was well southwest of Hawaii and moving away from the Big Island as the weekend drew to a close, but a wind advisory and high surf advisory remained in effect for parts of the island through Monday morning. Nolo’s maximum sustained winds increased to near 155 mph (249 kph).
Storm activity in the Pacific has been above average during what is already the peak of hurricane season, according to National Weather Service lead forecaster Bob Oravec. He said that pattern is consistent with El Nino years, when the Pacific often sees more tropical storms and hurricanes.
With Polo approaching Mexico, the Mexican navy said it has gathered personnel and humanitarian aid in the ports of Guaymas and Mazatlan, on the Pacific Coast, and deployed three vessels that could ship aid to coastal communities isolated by the storm.
One of the towns in the hurricane’s projected path is San Juanico, a small fishing community on Baja’s Pacific coast. The town has only had full-time electricity for a few years, and still experiences frequent outages. There is concern that washed-out roads could block access to medical facilities.
“Our people are concerned about this event,” said Gloriely Robles Meza, a manager at a small hotel. “We haven’t faced such a worrying situation in many years.”
Robles Meza said Sunday that army soldiers arrived in San Juanico to prepare a shelter and provide support for possible emergencies.
Also Sunday, Tropical Storm Rachel formed well off Mexico's southwest coast. The hurricane center said Rachel had maximum sustained winds of 50 mph (82 kph) and was located about 230 miles (370 kilometers) south-southwest of Acapulco. No coastal watches or warnings were in effect.
Forecasters said Nolo’s outer bands could cause life-threatening flooding and mudslides, with parts of the Big Island possibly getting up to 20 inches (50 centimeters) of rain. Heavy rain also was expected on the other islands.
More than 120 National Guard members were activated, part of roughly 400 statewide after the governor issued an emergency proclamation. President Donald Trump recently approved an emergency declaration, authorizing the Federal Emergency Management Agency to coordinate assistance and provide funding support.
Hawaii residents are still recovering from Hurricane Lala, which produced heavy rain and winds strong enough to sweep about 100 homes off their foundations on the Big Island.
Video journalist Eugene Garcia and photographer Gregory Bull contributed from Hilo, Hawaii.
This satellite image provided by NOAA shows Tropical Storm Nolo, left, south of Hawaii; Hurricane Odalys, middle, and Hurricane Polo, right, off the coast of Mexico, in the Pacific Ocean on Thursday, Sept. 24, 2026. (NOAA via AP)
Workers build a barricade to help keep water out of their town as Hurricane Polo approaches in Puerto San Carlos, Baja California Sur state, Mexico, Sunday, Sept. 27, 2026. (AP Photo/Eduardo Verdugo)
A man boards up a house's windows as Hurricane Polo approaches in Puerto San Carlos, Baja California Sur state, Mexico, Sunday, Sept. 27, 2026. (AP Photo/Eduardo Verdugo)
Workers build a barricade to help keep water out of their town as Hurricane Polo approaches in Puerto San Carlos, Baja California Sur state, Mexico, Sunday, Sept. 27, 2026. (AP Photo/Eduardo Verdugo)
Peggy McKibbin looks at where floodwaters from nearby Hurricane Nolo run past widespread damage from last month's Hurricane Lala Sunday, Sept. 27, 2026, in Naalehu, Hawaii. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)
Fire Captain Lui Sales of the Hawaii Fire Department looks for residents to help as rainwater from nearby Hurricane Nolo flood a section of Mamalahoa highway Saturday, Sept. 26, 2026, near Naalehu, Hawaii. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)
A man rides with his son near where a home was destroyed during last month's Hurricane Lala, as floodwaters from Hurricane Nolo recedes Sunday, Sept. 27, 2026, in Naalehu, Hawaii. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)
