Transportation Transitions: Leadership and council changes drive growth across commercial and defense trucking

Dana names Byron Foster as CEO to lead light and commercial vehicle growth

Dana Inc. has named Byron Foster CEO, effective July 1, with R. Bruce McDonald remaining as chairman of the board. Foster currently serves as senior vice president and president of light vehicle systems, Dana’s largest business unit, and has led strong sales growth and profit margin improvement.

“Byron is an exceptional leader with a deep understanding of our business, our customers, and the opportunities ahead. He has been a driving force behind Dana's transformation, playing a pivotal role in elevating our operations and delivering stronger results across the organization,” McDonald said. “His commercial, operational, and strategic expertise make him the ideal person to guide Dana through its next chapter of growth. I look forward to supporting him in my ongoing role as chairman as he assumes leadership of the company.”

Foster has more than two decades of senior leadership experience, including roles at Johnson Controls and Adient plc, and serves on Wabtec Corporation’s Board of Directors. He expressed gratitude for the board’s trust and support, stating he looks forward to building on Dana’s legacy and positioning the company for long-term success. Read more…

Kenworth names 2026 Dealer and Parts Councils to enhance fleet uptime and support

Kenworth Truck Company recently held its annual Dealer Meeting to drive sales growth and enhance customer experience in sales and service. The company has announced the 2026 members of both its Dealer Council and Parts Council to support the customer experience across its U.S. and Canadian dealer network.

The Dealer Council includes executives from six dealer groups representing 498 dealerships, including chairman Mike Levering of Truckworx Kenworth and line representative Jake Nichols of Palmer Group. The Parts Council is made up of parts directors and managers focused on improving parts quality and availability, including national chair Eric Bontrager of CSM Companies and representatives from Inland Kenworth, Kenworth Sales, and CIT Trucks.

Paccar Parts supports dealers by providing access to parts in 24 hours or less and helping expedite repairs to increase fleet uptime. The company plans to announce its 2026 Service Council later this spring. Read more…

Kodiak AI names Chet Gryczan to lead defense programs for military and commercial vehicles

Kodiak AI has appointed Chet Gryczan as vice presidenrt and managing director of defense, effective immediately. The company, which develops AI-powered autonomous vehicle technology, said Gryczan will lead its defense vertical and oversee strategy, customer engagement, and program execution.

“Kodiak has already demonstrated that its autonomous system can operate in demanding military environments and deliver measurable capability,” Gryczan said. “I joined Kodiak to help build on that foundation and scale our defense vertical and the company’s impact. This role brings together my career focus on adapting advanced commercial technologies for defense use with Kodiak’s proven autonomous platform and growing defense footprint.”

Gryczan brings over two decades of leadership experience in defense and automotive technology, including scaling Detroit Defense to $157 million in annual revenue. He will focus on integrating the Kodiak Driver autonomous system into military vehicles and expanding the company’s defense programs. Read more…