TRAILER, TRUCK, & BODY OEMs
Josh Soto has joined Mickey Truck Bodies as safety manager, responsible for all aspects of compliance, training, and recordkeeping related to environmental, health, and safety. Brandon Parker, associate safety manager, reports to Soto. Matt Sink has been promoted to vice-president of manufacturing at Mickey. He joined the firm in 2007 and was most recently manufacturing manager.
Mitsubishi Fuso Truck of America Inc (MFTA), a subsidiary of Mitsubishi Fuso Truck & Bus Corp, has appointed Dr Michael Munz chief financial officer (CFO). He will succeed Mutsumi Miwa, who has retired as of March 31. Munz comes to MFTA from Detroit Diesel Australia, where he served as head of Finance & Controlling, Legal & Compliance, and HR & Administration since 2011.
COMPONENT MANUFACTURERS
Hadley is expanding its national presence with the addition of Jim Clark as national fleet and dealer manager and Jim Zwald as regional fleet and dealer manager. Clark is a former Hadley employee and most recently served with Webasto as national fleet sales manager. Zwald spent 30-plus years at Goodyear Engineered Products (now named Veyance Technologies), most recently as senior product manager.
Anthony Gemma has joined TODCO, the transportation division of Overhead Door Corporation, as national fleet sales manager. He succeeds Ken Hall, who retired one year ago but has continued to support TODCO as a part-time consultant. Gemma has more than 25 years’ sales experience, including sales management positions with two truck body OEMs. He also served as director of sales with Waltco Lift Corp and regional sales manager for Jerr-Dan Corp.
SAF-Holland announced that Rob Nissen, director of field service, has been recognized with the Technology & Maintenance Council’s Silver Spark Plug Award. A TMC member since 1993, he has been active in the S.6 Chassis and Brake Systems and S.7 Trailers, Bodies and Material Handling Study Groups, chairing task forces and serving as a moderator or panelist for technical sessions. He also serves on the Mentor and Member Contact Committees and as a judge for the TMCSuperTech competition.
has appointed John Kemer vice-president and general manager, Valves and Modules. He also becomes the newest member of the Bendix Leadership Committee and joins the two-person Controls Governance Board. Kemer, who joined the firm as a staff engineer in 1996, most recently served as director of the Valves and Modules business unit. Nine-year Bendix veteran Scott Burkhart has become vice-president, sales, marketing, and business development. He previously served as vice-president and general manager, Controls and Modules and will continue serving on the Bendix Leadership Committee.
has named Michael Mantia vice-president of manufacturing. With more than 25 years of experience in competitive, growth-driven environments, he has been active in leading six Sigma projects centered around continuous improvement, safety program development, process discipline, plant turnarounds, and coaching to build cohesive teams.
Tim Arkilander has been named executive vice-president of sales and business development for Palfinger North America, responsible for all Palfinger articulating cranes, Epsilon forestry and scrap cranes, and Palfinger truck-mounted forklifts. He has 30 years of industry experience.
INDUSTRY RESEARCH SERVICES
Americas Commercial Transportation (ACT) Research Co LLC, provider of North American commercial vehicles industry data, market analysis, and forecasting services, announced that James B “Brian” Armstrong has joined the firm as data development and graphics manager. His background includes more than 13 years in the information technology field, the past six years of which he performed systems analysis and development with Corporate Systems Engineering in support of the electric utility industry’s direct load control programs.
OBITUARIES
Robert C Bartkowski, national sales engineer manager with Optronics International of Tulsa OK, died March 10, 2015 at Roswell Park Cancer Institute in Buffalo NY. He was 49. Born July 26, 1965 in Buffalo, the son of Robert J and Beverly (Brown) Bartkowski, he was a 1985 alumnus of Alfred State College. Prior to Optronics, he served with West Valley Nuclear Service Co, as well as Truck-Lite in Falconer NY and McElhattan PA. Besides his parents, he is survived by daughters Emilie and Abigail Bartkowski, both of Lock Haven PA; brother Timothy (Lori) Bartkowski of Fort Mill SC, and their children Leah, Rachael, and Rebekah; brother Michael (Denise) Bartkowski, also of Fort Mill and their children Michaela and Michael; one sister, Susan (Malcolm) Coley of El Paso TX and their children, Christian, Lincoln, and Faith.
Timothy “Ted” Spellman, a charter member of the National Trailer Dealers Association, died February 28, 2015, at his home after a 10-year battle with cancer. He was 88. Spellman began his career in 1950 with Smith-White Truck sales in Madison WI. In 1959, he founded Dorsey Trailer Sales of Madison (later becoming Midwest Trailer Sales in 1982). In 1968, he formed a new company in Milwaukee WI called Dorsey Trailer Sales of Wisconsin, which in 1991 became Spellman Trailers Inc. Spellman is survived by his wife of 64 years, June; sons Elvin and Ken; daughter Diane Lenz; son-in-law Robert Dixon; six grandchildren; four step-grandchildren; six great-grandchildren; sisters Mary Elizabeth “Bette” and Imelda Jean; and nieces and nephews. ♦
