HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Dan Peters has been appointed to lead Type A school bus manufacturer Collins Bus Corp., parent company Allied Specialty Vehicles (ASV) announced on Wednesday.

Peters replaces Collins veteran Kent Tyler, who last year was named president and CEO of first responder apparatus manufacturer E-ONE Inc., which is also an ASV company.

Company officials said in an announcement that Peters has 30 years' experience in "developing strong customer relationships, team building and an established record of leading business growth."

“Dan’s proven record of leading businesses through consistent sales growth and, perhaps more importantly, his focus on developing organizations and maintaining strong customer relationships makes him an ideal leader for Collins Bus,” said James Meyer, chief operating officer of ASV. “We are excited to welcome Dan to the Collins Bus team.”

In addition to his sales, marketing and operations management knowledge, Peters has experience in the specialty vehicle industry after serving five years with Pierce Manufacturing Inc., a subsidiary of Oshkosh Corp. Peters served as general manager of a division of Pierce Manufacturing and, more recently, as senior vice president of worldwide sales and marketing.

During his time with Pierce, Peters was responsible for leading the North American sales team while also overseeing customer service, product specialists, marketing and dealer development.

Prior to his experience at Pierce, Peters held the position of president at Akron Brass, where he reportedly grew the company’s revenues from $40 million to over $125 million.

During the search for his successor, Tyler continued to lead Collins alongside his responsibilities at E-ONE.

“We have taken our time searching for the right person to fill the position at Collins Bus," Tyler said. "Dan’s focus on the customer and experience in the specialty vehicle industry make him ideal for this position. Collins Bus will be in skilled hands with Dan at the helm.”