Roger Howsmon, a senior advisor to school bus manufacturer Blue Bird and formerly senior vice president of sales and chief marketing officer, is retiring effective April 1.
Blue Bird announced Howsmon’s retirement to the American School Bus Council on Thursday, School Transportation News learned. He will be replaced by Dale Wendell, senior vice president of Global Sales for Blue Bird.
Howsmon joined Blue Bird in 2007 shorly after Cerberus Capital Management acquired the company following bankruptcy. For the next two years he led sales and marketing efforts, and in 2010 he became a senior advisor to executive management. Howsmon was also Blue Bird’s representative on the ASBC board, which also consists of representatives from IC Bus and Thomas Built Buses as well as NAPT, NASDPTS and NSTA.
“His strong people skills, coupled with his love for the school bus industry and the respect he has for the dealer network, have enabled him to serve Blue Bird very effectively in this capacity,” read a statement from company President and CEO Phil Horlock, who added that Howsmon is known as nationwide as an advocate for Blue Bird dealers.
Horlock said Howsmon built strong, personal friendships throughout the company’s network and that he also played a key leadership role in increasing international sales and overseeing the company’s GSA contracts.
“Roger says that he will miss his regular interactions with many of his friends in the industry, including those developed through his involvement with the ASBC,” Horlock continued. “Please join us in thanking Roger for his contributions to Blue Bird and the school bus industry. We wish Roger and his wife, Nancy, all the best in his retirement.”
