TRAILER, TRUCK, & BODY OEMs
Daimler Trucks North America (DTNA) announced a series of executive appointments to its Aftermarket and Operations organization effective June 1, 2017. Rich Simons has been named general manager, aftermarket parts sales at DTNA. He will succeed Jeff Wallis, who will be retiring from a career of more than 35 years. Simons began his most recent role as general manager, Central Service in 2015. Paul Romanaggi, who succeeds Simons in that role, most recently was general manager of Supplier Management & Quality. Succeeding Romanaggi will be Carsten Kirchholtes, who has held several director roles in the Mercedes-Benz purchasing departments in Germany and the United States. Succeeding Kirchholtes as general manager of procurement at DTNA will be Christoph Mertens, who will be moving from his role as head of Daimler Trucks Vehicle Modules and Platform Management in Stuttgart, Germany. Sungsoo Lee, the plant manager of Saltillo Truck Manufacturing, has been named general manager of Operations Planning and Quality Management.
Nikola Motor Company announced that Jonathan Spira has joined its executive management team as chief financial officer (CFO). Most recently, Spira served as CFO at Untangle Inc, a security software and appliance company, where he led its integration of three acquisitions and successful sale to Providence Equity.
COMPONENT MANUFACTURERS
has introduced its new director–zone sales team, Mike Rasnick. He came to Muncie Power Products in November 2016 with 15 years of sales experience within the industry, having most recently served in a similar leadership role.
Truck-Lite Co LLC has named John Cecco its new vice-president of sales. He also will oversee the firm’s customer service, pricing and forecasting departments after the retirement of Bob Ives, former vice-president of business development. With 13 years of experience at Truck-Lite, Cecco previously served as vice-president of operations.
Phillips Industries has promoted Rob Myers to vice-president of sales. Myers joined the company in September 2015 as director of sales.
Yokohama Tire Corporation (YTC) announced that Jeff Barna has joined the company as chief operating officer. Reporting to Shinichi Takimoto, YTC president, Barna will also be on YTC’s executive committee. He previously served in management, sales and logistics positions, most recently at Nilfisk-Advance Inc.
Karmak Inc announced that Jim Hurt has joined the firm as a regional sales manager in the Northeast Region. He previously worked as director of sales for major accounts and vice-president of sales for a dealer management system provider for 20 years in both the heavy-duty and automotive marketspace.
DEALERS/DISTRIBUTORS
has appointed Victor Cummings as vice-president of service operations. Cummings, who joined Rush in 2011, most recently was regional general manager of the company’s Mid-Atlantic Region.
INDUSTRY ASSOCIATION PROFILES
The Heavy Duty Manufacturers Association (HDMA) has named Tim Musgrave, president and CEO of Pressure Systems International, as its 2017 chairman. He has served on the HDMA board of directors since 2004 and has been a member of the executive committee since 2013. Steve Robinson, director OEM sales and dealer programs for PSI, has been appointed 2017 chairman of the National Trailer Dealers Association (NTDA). He has been a NTDA member since 2010.
American Trucking Associations has hired John Drake as its newest senior vice-president of legislative affairs. He previously held several posts within the US Department of Transportation, including deputy administrator of the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration, deputy assistant secretary for transportation policy and director of governmental affairs for the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. He also has served as a staff member for both the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee’s Subcommittee on Surface Transportation and Merchant Marine Infrastructure, Safety and Security, as well as the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee’s Railroads, Pipelines and Hazardous Materials Subcommittee.
OBITUARIES
, former vice-president of sales at Ridewell Suspensions, died February 1, 2017, at his home in Joplin MO following a battle with cancer. He was 78. Born on February 26, 1938, to the late Frank and Ruth (Laughridge) Steele, he served in the US Army 101st Airborne. He married Dorothy Allen Steele on April 26, 1957. He was employed as vice-president of maintenance at Tri-State Motor Transit in Joplin before becoming vice-president of sales at Ridewell in Springfield MO. Steele is survived by his wife, Dorothy Steele; one son, Scott Steele; one daughter, Leigh Saxon and husband Terrill; two brothers, Don Steele and wife Kay, and Johnny Steele; and two grandchildren, Jack Saxon and Whit Saxon. He was preceded in death by a son, Jack; a grandson, Paul Saxon; a brother, Phillip Steele; and a sister, Ann Steele. Memorial contributions may be given to St Jude’s Children’s Hospital for Cancer Research in care of the Mason-Woodard Mortuary in Joplin. ♦