Multiple companies and brands have recently announced personnel changes in the school bus industry. School Bus Fleet has a January roundup of these new hires and promotions, including:

• Ernest Evans Appointed Head of International Financial

• Former Blue Bird CEO Retires From Board

• Transit Technologies Announces Leadership Transition for Bytecurve and busHive

• Kajeet Appoints Finance Veteran Paul Holtz as CFO

• JohnDow Appoints Tim Beltitus to Newly Created Role

Ernest Evans Appointed Head of International Financial

Recently, TRATON Financial Services appointed Ernest Evans as head of International Financial, the financial solutions arm of International Motors, LLC, effective January 1, 2026.

“International has made significant progress in delivering bundled solutions that simplify how customers manage their business,” said Mathias Carlbaum, president and CEO, International. “I’m confident Ernest will be a strong leader in advancing this approach by working closely with customers to create financial solutions that maximize value and support their long-term success.”

Evans brings more than 25 years of experience in equipment financing to International Financial, having held senior leadership roles across DLL, JPMorgan Chase, and GE Capital. Most recently, he served as general manager for DLL Financing Solutions U.S.A., overseeing sales, risk, credit, operations, and other functions. His focus areas included customer experience, process efficiency, digital transformation, and cultural change.

“Financing today is a partnership, not a transactional experience,” Evans said. “With the team at International Financial, we’re committed to providing financial innovation to International customers that enables uptime, digital transformation, and navigating market challenges.”

Evans served seven years in the United States Air Force and holds a bachelor’s degree in economics from Bellarmine University and an MBA from Washington University in St. Louis.

Former Blue Bird CEO Retires From Board

Blue Bird Corporation recently announced that Phil Horlock, former chief executive officer and a member of the company’s board of directors, will be stepping down from the board, effective immediately.

Horlock served as president and CEO of Blue Bird for more than 12 years, leading the organization through transformative growth, operational excellence, and long-term value creation. Following his tenure as CEO, Horlock remained on the company’s board after John Wyskiel was appointed president and CEO nearly a year ago. Horlock continued to provide strategic insight and mentorship to the company’s leadership team, positioning the company for continued success.

“On behalf of the entire board and leadership team, I want to thank Phil for his extraordinary service to Blue Bird,” said Doug Grimm, chairman of the board. “His vision, discipline, and integrity as CEO helped shape the strong foundation we operate from today. As a director, his voice has been indispensable, and we are grateful for the legacy of excellence he leaves behind. We wish Phil all the best in his retirement.”

“It has been the privilege of a lifetime to serve Blue Bird, as CEO and as a director of this outstanding board,” Horlock said. “I leave with full confidence in the current leadership and the strategic direction of the company, and I look forward to watching Blue Bird continue to lead the industry into the future.”

Transit Technologies Announces Leadership Transition for Bytecurve and busHive

Brian Mann has been appointed general manager of Bytecurve and busHive. Mann brings more than 13 years of experience supporting workforce and operational needs across K–12 and motorcoach transportation, most recently serving as president of busHive. In that role, according to a release, he led significant growth initiatives and helped expand the platform's operational impact for transportation providers.

Mann succeeds GP Singh, founder of Bytecurve, who is transitioning into a strategic advisor role at Transit Technologies. Singh is well-known in the transportation technology and workforce management space and has spent more than a decade building best-in-class solutions. Under his leadership, Bytecurve grew into a respected platform known for its reliability, operational depth, and strong client relationships.

In his advisory role, Singh will continue to support Transit Technologies through industry thought leadership and by advising on product and solutions strategy, helping guide the next phase of innovation across the company's workforce technology offerings.

"We are grateful for GP's leadership and vision in bringing together two exceptional teams and technologies," said Gerry Leonard, CEO of Transit Technologies. "With Brian's proven industry experience and strategic insight, we are well-positioned to accelerate innovation and deliver even greater value to our clients."

The leadership transition is already underway and is designed to ensure continuity for clients using Bytecurve to manage workforce operations and busHive to support both public and private transportation service management needs. Clients can expect uninterrupted service and continued investment aligned to their operational requirements.

Kajeet Appoints Finance Veteran Paul Holtz as CFO

In late 2025, Kajeet announced the appointment of Paul Holtz as chief financial officer (CFO). According to a release, Holtz, a seasoned financial executive with deep roots in the wireless and technology sectors, will guide Kajeet’s financial strategy as the company accelerates its growth across the AI and IoT connectivity landscape.

Holtz joins Kajeet following a tenure at KORE Wireless, where he served as executive vice president, CFO, and treasurer. At KORE, he led the company’s financial transformation, strategic planning, and IPO process. He also held multiple senior leadership roles at BlackBerry, managing financial operations and business performance across the Americas, and began his career at KPMG Canada as an assurance manager.

“Paul’s appointment marks an important step in Kajeet’s evolution as a connectivity leader,” said Rob Adams, CEO of Kajeet. “His financial expertise, combined with his deep understanding of the telecom and wireless sectors, will help Kajeet strengthen its strategic growth initiatives and deliver on our mission to power intelligent connectivity solutions that enable innovation.”  

With a strong foundation in finance, business process improvement, and strategic planning, Holtz brings a results-driven approach to Kajeet’s next stage of expansion. His leadership will help scale Kajeet’s Sentinel platform and smartSIM technology offerings to meet growing global demand for secure, intelligent connectivity across industries.  

“I’m honored to join Kajeet at such a pivotal time in its journey. With its innovative connectivity solutions and strong customer focus, Kajeet is uniquely positioned to lead in the AI and IoT connectivity space,” Holtz said. “I look forward to partnering with Rob and the leadership team to build on that momentum and drive sustainable growth.”

JohnDow Appoints Tim Beltitus to Newly Created Role

JohnDow Industries recently announced the promotion of Tim Beltitus to the newly created role of director of inside sales and customer support.

According to the company, Beltitus has been an integral part of JDI’s Inside Sales team over the past six years and has represented JDI with outstanding product and industry knowledge, along with an unwavering dedication to supporting our distribution partners, national accounts dealers, and shop-level customers.

This new role blends strategic direction with hands-on execution, with Beltitus leading the Inside Sales and Customer Support team while elevating a seamless experience throughout the customer journey. Leading these support teams includes optimizing daily processes, improving response and resolution processes, and strengthening customer relationships. Strategically, Beltitus will also be instrumental in new business development efforts and in establishing customer growth opportunities.

“Tim has been one of the most reliable and customer-focused people on our team for years,” said Robert Christy, president of JohnDow Industries. “He brings professionalism, product expertise, and a problem-solving mindset to every customer interaction. This promotion is not only well-earned — it reflects the direction we’re taking as a company to enhance the customer journey and strengthen the support we provide our partners. I’m confident Tim will excel in this role and continue to elevate the inside sales function at JDI.”