Smeal Appoints Bowman New V.P. of National Sales; Names Wegner as Senior V.P. of Global Sales

SNYDER, NEB. (August 4, 2015) – Smeal Fire Apparatus Co., a leading fire apparatus manufacturer, announced today that Michael Bowman has been appointed to the position of Vice President of National Sales with responsibility for North American sales for Smeal, LTC and UST products. Bowman will report to Jeff Wegner who has been appointed to the position of Senior Vice President of Global Sales.

Bowman has more than 15 years of experience in the fire and emergency response industry. Most recently he served as Vice President of Sales with Spartan Motors USA, having joined the company in 2008 and served in increasingly responsible executive sales roles. Prior to joining Spartan, Bowman was in a direct sales role for an equipment and apparatus dealer.

In their new positions, Wegner and Bowman, will be responsible for international and U.S. business development, sales and sales support management, dealer relationship management and pursuit of strategic accounts. Wegner also has primary responsibility for the management and strategic planning of Smeal’s relationship with Gimaex International as well as sales, marketing and customer service for the Smeal, LTC and UST brands.

“Smeal is very fortunate to have the team of Jeff Wegner and Mike Bowman at the helm of our national and international sales and business development programs,” said Mark Huber, Smeal’s president. “We are a company with many opportunities before us, including in regions where we have not yet ventured. Our eyes are on serving more fire and emergency customers with a broader, more diversified selection of products and technologies. Bowman is the latest addition to our experienced leadership team, and we look forward to his contributions in elevating our performance in a number of areas.”

“I’m very excited to be joining Smeal. They are moving forward on so many fronts – product innovation, product line expansion, distribution enhancements, and acquisitions. It’s the place to be if you’re passionate about supporting the fire service. I’m looking forward to working with Smeal dealers, customers and team members to amp up performance and build an even stronger company,” said Bowman.

“This dynamic role affords us the opportunity to help Smeal grow and broaden our horizons. I’m committed to developing the Smeal brands and products for a global audience and expanding opportunities for both Smeal and Gimaex teams. Mike will make a great addition to the sales team and I look forward to working with him.” commented Wegner.

Bowman is a life-long firefighter and was fire chief of Altamont Fire Protection District, Illinois, from 1995 to 2008. He serves on the membership committee of the Fire Apparatus Manufacturers Association (FAMA) and is an active member of the Fire Department Safety Officers Association (FDSOA).

Jeff Wegner is a leading fire industry sales executive and a lifelong fire service professional. During his time with the company, he has contributed to numerous new product development projects and played a key role in developing the company’s growth strategy.
Wegner joined Smeal Fire Apparatus in 1993. He formerly held the role of Regional Sales Director for the Northeast US and was responsible for dealer management and development, major account sales and forecasting. He also played an instrumental role in Smeal’s development of its configuration software program. In 2013, Wegner was promoted to Vice President of Sales. In that position, he oversaw significant sales growth throughout North America in a no-growth market, was responsible for the company’s revenue growth, business development and strategic planning and played a key role in finalizing Smeal’s relationship with Gimaex International.

Wegner is a U.S. Air Force veteran and assistant chief of the Howells Volunteer Fire Department, near Snyder, Neb. He is also a member of FAMA and FDSOA.

Wegner and Bowman will take over their new roles on August 10, 2015.

Smeal Fire Apparatus Co.
Smeal Fire Apparatus Co., including US Tanker Fire Apparatus LLC and Ladder Tower Co., is recognized as a premier manufacturer, inventor and innovator of customized fire apparatus. The company offers a full line of custom and commercial pumpers, rescue pumpers, mini and rescue pumpers, stainless steel tanker / tenders, aerial ladders, platforms, TDA’s, wildland, and urban interface vehicles. Smeal is committed to leading the industry in high quality fire apparatus, delivery times and customer experience. Smeal sells its products worldwide and is based in Snyder, Neb. To learn more, visit smeal.com and laddertower.com.