Trans Tech Bus named John Phraner the new president of the Warwick, N.Y.-based manufacturer of the eTrans all-electric school bus. He replaces Dan Daniels, who decided to leave the company to be closer to his family in the Midwest.
Company officials said Daniels (pictured above, flanked by Trans Tech co-founder John Corr and co-founder and Board Member Bart Marksohn) will help Phraner transition into his role, and plans to leave Trans Tech sometime before the end of the year. The C. E. White Company located in New Washington, Ohio, later announced that Daniels will join the company in October as vice president of engineering and product development.
“It was a difficult decision to leave Trans Tech,” Daniels said. “There are so many great and dedicated people here. I am very grateful for the opportunity that I was given. It was exciting to be part of a team that helped make Trans Tech a leader in the production of innovative conventional and all-electric Type-A school buses. I am confident the company will be in great hands with John Phraner at the helm.
Among Daniels’ many accomplishments while at Trans Tech, perhaps the most notable initiative he helped spearhead, along with company co-founders Bart Marksohn and John Corr, was launching the eTrans.
Meanwhile, Phraner spent the last 22 years as general manager at North East Fabricators, located in Walton, N.Y. The company has been a supplier to Trans Tech over the years, providing metal fabrication services and products for its school buses. He also spent time as president of South East Fabricators where he oversaw the production of more than 5,000 fabricated units supplied to Oshkosh Defense for its Medium Tactical Vehicle Replacement military vehicle platform and American Truck Corp., where it manufactured hundreds of truck bodies.
“We certainly have mixed emotions regarding the change,” said Trans Tech Co-founder John Corr. “On one hand we are very happy to have such an accomplished individual like John Phraner as our new company president, and on the other hand, it’s hard to lose someone as capable as Dan Daniels. He will truly be missed.”
