Thomas Built Buses has named a new president and CEO: Kevin Bangston.

Daimler Trucks North America (DTNA), the parent company of the school bus OEM, made the announcement on Thursday in a news release.

Bangston, currently general manager, distribution network development, is a 20-year veteran of DTNA and previously served as Thomas Built Buses' chief financial officer from 2005 through 2008. He succeeds Caley Edgerly, who moved into the role of general manager, operations planning and quality, at DTNA, in mid-April. Edgerly served as the school bus OEM's president and CEO for the last six years.

“Kevin knows the school bus business well and is a proven leader with a wealth of experience at Daimler, both in the U.S. and around the globe,” said Jeff Allen, senior vice president of operations and specialty vehicles at DTNA, in the news release. “We’re excited to welcome Kevin back to the Thomas Built Buses family and know that he will continue to deliver an unparalleled focus on customers, dealers, and employees for this historic and storied brand.”

Bangston started his career with Daimler at DTNA in corporate finance. He then became the chief financial officer at Thomas Built Buses. Bangston was later tapped to head up a repositioning project at DTNA, where his myriad successes in that role led to international leadership positions in Germany, Southeast Asia, and Japan. In his last foreign assignment, Bangston was based in Tokyo and served as the head of Mitsubishi Fuso’s Bus business unit.

“I am thrilled to return to the [Thomas Built Buses] team and look forward to working with our many valuable customers and dealers, helping to transport the nation’s most precious assets — the youth of America,” Bangston said in the news release. 

Bangston earned a Master’s degree in International Business from the Moore School at the University of South Carolina.