HIGH POINT, N.C. — Thomas Built Buses has named Leslie Kilgore vice president of engineering.

Kilgore will oversee the design, development, research, and testing of new technologies and innovations for the school bus OEM, including those in the BusWise Technologies platform.

Kilgore is a 20-year veteran of General Motors, with experience in product design, development, launch, innovation, and technology management. She specializes in interior design, safety, and public policy.

“Leslie brings a tremendous amount of experience to the Thomas Built engineering team,” said Caley Edgerly, president and CEO of Thomas Built Buses. “Not only has she recently worked on state-of-the-art technologies in the automotive industry, but she also has a history of using technology and innovation to make transportation even safer. Her knowledge, dedication, and commitment to safety will be a driving force for Thomas Built as we unveil new technologies in the coming years.”

Kilgore holds a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering from Michigan Technological University, a master's in mechanical engineering from Purdue University, and a global business certificate from Thunderbird School of Global Management. She is completing a master's degree in public policy from the University of Southern California.

As Thomas Built’s new vice president of engineering, Kilgore replaces Tracy Mack-Askew, who moved to a new position within Thomas Built’s parent company, Daimler Trucks North America.