TRAILER, TRUCK, & BODY OEMs
has named Corey Sechler as national sales manager. He previously served as the business development manager at Roll Forming Corporation.
Stellar Industries Inc has promoted Steve Schnieders to vice-president–supply chain and operations. A Stellar employee for almost 20 years, he has served as engineering manager and operations manager, and been a member of the the firm’s board for 11 years. Jim Fisk has been appointed director of operations for both the Garner and Kanawha facilities.
has appointed Roger Godfrey inventory control manager, a newly created position. Stationed at OSP’s facility in Council Bluffs IA, he brings more than 13 years of experience in inventory management and spare parts operations. Rich Gourley has returned to OSP to serve again as continuous improvement manager, a role he held from March 2013 to May 2015.
Deist Industries Inc has named Dennis Racine as president of Deist and its four operating divisions: Bucks Fabricating, Switch-N-Go, AmeriDeck, and Roll-offparts.com. He has years of experience that includes start-ups, directing turnarounds, and providing growth solutions for small to mid-size industrial manufacturing companies.
COMPONENT MANUFACTURERS
welcomes Michael Johnson as its new Upper Midwest Territory regional manager responsible for Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota, Iowa, Nebraska, Kansas, Colorado, and northwest Missouri. With 20 years of experience in truck and trailer suspension sales, he previously sold truck and trailer suspensions for Reyco Granning LLC throughout the United States and Canada.
Pat Griffin has been named president of Marmon-Herrington. With more than 25 years’ experience in the transportation industry, Griffin most recently served as vice-president of sales for Fontaine Modification Company’s Vocational Services.
Bridgestone Commercial Group, a division of Bridgestone Americas Tire Operations (BATO), announced that Bryant Davis has joined the company as vice-president of sales for the company’s truck, bus, and retread tire business. He comes to Bridgestone from PepsiCo Inc, where he served as senior market director of sales and operations.
Ryan Grove has been named by Harrison Hydra-Gen Ltd as the company’s Northeastern region business manager. Based out of the firm’s Columbus OH office, he has been involved in fire apparatus manufacturing for the past 14 years and most recently served as industrial product manager and engineering manager at the Sutphen Corporation.
Reyco Granning announced that Dave Compton has retired as president effective September 30, 2015, though he will stay on as a consultant until December 31, 2015 to ensure a smooth leadership transition. John W Stuart, vice-president of engineering, has been named as Compton’s successor and began serving as president October 1, 2015. Stuart has 25 years of experience in the heavy-duty transportation industry.
Eaton announced that Pavan Pattada has been named president, Vehicle Group, North America. Pattada most recently served as president, Truck North America, Vehicle Group. He will be based in Galesburg and Southfield MI.
Sika Industry and Automotive has named Cathleen Spayde as senior marketing coordinator. She previously was marketing communications coordinator–automotive with Henkel Corporation and comes to Sika with more than 10 years of marketing and communication experience.
DEALERS/DISTRIBUTORS
Global Parts Network has promoted Jason Damron to director of operations responsible for management of GPN’s Salt Lake City UT and South Bend IN brake remanufacturing and PDC warehousing facilities as well as customer service operations. He joined GPN in March 2010 and served as site manager for the Salt Lake City facility before his promotion.
OBITUARIES
Jim Holmes, OEM regional manager for Grote Industries, died September 26, 2015. He was 58. Holmes enlisted in the US Army in 1975, serving four years and then joining the Army National Guard. He then joined the US Army Reserves, retiring with the rank of major. Holmes began his career with Grote in 2011 as Southeast OEM regional manager. He is survived by his wife Sydney; his children Bob Gild, Beth Krzywicki, and Zola Holmes; grandchildren Nathan, Nicholas, and Molly; sisters Gloria Gmerick, Joan Thompson, Susan Fritz, Judee Hein, Mary Ann Holmes, Jill Roberts, and Caroline McBroom; brothers Gary Holmes and Jack Holmes; and nieces and nephews. A private internment took place at Georgia National Cemetery. Donations are being accepted in his name through the Wounded Warrior Project (www.woundedwarriorproject.org).
