VANCOUVER, March 12, 2018 /CNW/ - Grande West
Transportation Group Inc. (TSXV: BUS; OTC PINK: GWTNF) –
March 12, 2018: ("Grande West" or the
"Company"), a Canadian manufacturer of mid-sized multi-purpose
transit vehicles for sale in Canada and the
United States, is pleased to announce the addition of
Keith Parker to its Board of
Directors.
Keith T. Parker is president and
chief executive officer (CEO) of Goodwill of North Georgia. One of the largest nonprofit
organizations in the southeast, Goodwill spans a 45-county
territory, operating 60 stores, 58 donation centres and 13 career
centres and employs nearly 3,000 people. Mr. Parker took the helm
at Goodwill of North Georgia in
October 2017.
Prior to transitioning into his leadership role at Goodwill, Mr.
Parker served as Chief Executive Officer and General Manager of
Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority until September 2017. In his tenure at MARTA, he and
his team balanced the budget, improved efficiencies, increased bus
and rail service, enhanced the customer experience, and restored
pride among MARTA employees and staff. During his transit career
prior to MARTA, he served as Chief Executive Officer and President
of VIA Metropolitan Transit and Chief Executive Officer at the
Charlotte Area Transit System.
Throughout his career Mr. Parker has received numerous awards
and accolades for his work as an organizational leader and
transportation visionary. He won Texas CEO of the Year Awards in
2011 and 2012. He was recognized as the nation's Outstanding Public
Transportation Manager by the American Public Transportation
Association (APTA) in 2015. METRO Magazine named Mr. Parker as one
of its 20 Most Influential People of the Decade.
Jean-Marc Landry, Chief Executive
Officer of Grande West stated, "It's
an honour and very exciting to have Mr. Parker join our board as we
become much more active in the U.S. Keith brings a wealth of
experience in transit to Grande
West's team."
Mr. Parker commented, "I am thrilled to join Grande West, a company destined to disrupt the
North American transit market. With an experienced team led by
Jean-Marc Landry, I will offer my
insight into exceeding the customer experience the U.S. market has
come to expect. We don't simply want to sell buses, we want to
become partners in the communities we serve."
A native of Petersburg,
Virginia, Mr. Parker was appointed to the Virginia Commonwealth University Board of Visitors
by Governor Terry McAuliffe in 2016.
Parker received VCU's Alumni Star Award in 2015.
Mr. Parker served on the board of directors for Goodwill of
San Antonio and Goodwill of
North Georgia. He remains active
and engaged in civic and charitable organizations, including
service on various national and local boards of directors – such as
The Eno Center for Transportation and Atlanta Convention and
Visitors Bureau. He holds an MBA from the University of Richmond, as well as a Master of
Urban and Regional Planning and a BA in Political Science from
Virginia Commonwealth University.
About Grande West
Grande West is a Canadian company
that designs, engineers and manufactures mid-size multi-purpose
transit vehicles for public and commercial enterprises. Grande
West's Best-in-Class heavy-duty Vicinity bus is available in 27.5',
30' and 35' models powered by clean diesel or CNG designed with
affordability, accessibility and global responsibility in mind. It
costs significantly less than a regular 40 foot transit bus, is
more maneuverable, burns less fuel and emits less harmful
emissions. Grande West will soon be
offering a new product which will be the first Crossover Vehicle in
the transit space - a medium-duty, monocoque-designed rear engine
vehicle.
The Company has been successful in supplying Canadian municipal
transportation agencies and private operators with new buses and is
receiving follow-on orders in many Canadian transit agencies.
Grande West is compliant to Buy
America certification, and along with ABG, its exclusive US
distributor, is actively pursuing opportunities in public and
private transit fleet operations that would benefit from
Grande West's vehicles.
For further information please contact:
Grande West Transportation
John LaGourgue
VP Corporate Development
Ph: 1-604-607-4000
jlagourgue@grandewest.com
www.grandewest.com
Neither the TSX-V nor its Regulation Service Provider (as that
term is defined in the policies of the TSX-V) accepts
responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.
Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking
Statements
This press release includes certain "forward-looking
information" and "forward-looking statements" (collectively
"forward-looking statements") within the meaning of applicable
Canadian securities legislation. All statements, other than
statements of historical fact, included herein, including without
limitation, statements regarding the use of proceeds from the
Private Placement, are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking
statements are frequently, but not always, identified by words such
as "expects", "anticipates", "believes", "intends", "estimates",
"potential", "possible", and similar expressions, or statements
that events, conditions, or results "will", "may", "could", or
"should" occur or be achieved. Forward-looking statements involve
various risks and uncertainties. There can be no assurance that
such statements will prove to be accurate, and actual results and
future events could differ materially from those anticipated in
such statements.
Important factors that could cause actual results to differ
materially from Grande West's
expectations include uncertainties relating to the receipt of final
approval from the TSX-V; and other risk and uncertainties disclosed
in Grande West's reports and
documents filed with applicable securities regulatory authorities
from time to time. Grande West's
forward-looking statements reflect the beliefs, opinions and
projections on the date the statements are made. Grande West assumes no obligation to update the
forward-looking statements or beliefs, opinions, projections, or
other factors, should they change, except as required by
law.
SOURCE Grande West Transportation Group Inc.