Blue Bird Corporation Appoints John Wyskiel as President and CEO

John Wyskiel, President and CEO, Blue Bird | Effective February 17, 2025・ Photo Credit: Blue Bird

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MACON, Ga., January 22, 2025 (VSNewsNetwork.com) — School bus manufacturer Blue Bird Corporation (Nasdaq: BLBD) has announced the appointment of John Wyskiel as President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO), effective February 17, 2025. Wyskiel will also join the company’s Board of Directors on the same date.

Wyskiel, an automotive industry veteran with more than 35 years of experience in manufacturing leadership, operations, and global sales, previously served as General Manager of Blue Bird Coach in Canada from 2002 to 2004. He returns to Blue Bird after a 20-year career at Magna International, where he most recently served as President of Magna Seating, leading a $6 billion business with 33,000 employees across 15 countries. His career also includes leadership roles at Magna’s Body & Structures division, Dana Corporation, and Borg Warner.

"I’m thrilled to return to Blue Bird, an iconic American company. I’m passionate about building scalable operations and leading high-performance teams to drive continuous improvement. I look forward to working with the entire Blue Bird team and dealer network to execute our strategic initiatives and to deliver sustained profitable growth,” said Wyskiel.

Wyskiel succeeds Phil Horlock, who served as Blue Bird’s President and CEO from 2011 to 2021 and returned to the position in May 2023. Horlock will remain on the Board of Directors to support the leadership transition.

"John’s deep and varied expertise in operational excellence and manufacturing leadership makes him an ideal fit for this role at this time. His proven track record will be invaluable as we expand our footprint and improve our operational processes to support our customers," said Doug Grimm, Chairman of Blue Bird Corporation.

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Grimm also recognized Horlock’s contributions, stating, “On behalf of the Board, I would like to thank Phil for his significant contributions and for the stability he has provided as CEO for nearly 15 years. He has been instrumental in positioning the company for long-term success, and in particular for firmly establishing Blue Bird as the leader in electric and low-emission school buses. The business is running extremely well with profitability, margins, and liquidity at record levels over the past two years. This is the ideal time to transition to a new CEO.”

Blue Bird Corporation, founded in 1927, manufactures school buses and offers models powered by various fuel types, including propane, natural gas, and electricity. The company reports sales of more than 25,000 low- and zero-emission buses to date. For more information, visit www.blue-bird.com.

Source: Blue Bird Corporation