Chris joined NFI Group Inc. (NFI) in 2007 and is responsible for driving growth and performance, operational excellence, and innovation of zero-emission mobility for the New Flyer transit bus and MCI motor coach business. As President, he oversees core functions of sales and marketing, supply management, materials, engineering, manufacturing, quality, and customer care while maintaining focus on safety, working capital management, cost performance, and resource management. Prior to this role, Chris served as New Flyer’s Senior Vice President, Engineering and Customer Service, overseeing new product development, production engineering, sustainable transportation, and customer service.
Prior to New Flyer, Chris was Vice-President of Engineering at National Steel Car in the freight rail industry and spent nine years with General Motors. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering (BSME) specializing in Automotive Engineering Design from Kettering University, and completed the Advanced Management Program at Harvard Business School. Chris is a board member for CALSTART, a nonprofit organization dedicated to the growth of clean transportation technologies, and is an accredited Professional Engineer.
Margaret Lewis is a seasoned manufacturing veteran with over thirty years of progressive facility management and operational, quality, and manufacturing leadership experience around the globe. Margaret joined New Flyer in 2009 as Senior Vice President, Quality and Continuous Improvement, and assumed the Senior Vice President, Manufacturing & Facilities role in 2018. Margaret is responsible for leading New Flyer and MCI’s quality assurance and continuous improvement function, overseeing transit bus and motor coach operations as Vice President, Quality and Continuous Improvement.
Prior to New Flyer, Margaret spent 15 years in senior management positions with Lear Corporation, including Vice President of Metals Operations in India and Vice President of Quality for the North American Seating Division. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering degree from the University of Akron and a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from Michigan State University, and achieved the Manager of Quality & Organizational Excellent Certification (CMQ/OE) from the American Society for Quality.
James lands nearly three decades of experience leading quality and program management in advanced manufacturing. James joined New Flyer in 2019 and leads the procurement and materials teams to secure all materials for the transit and coach businesses for New Flyer and MCI’s manufacturing functions in the U.S. and Canada.
Prior to New Flyer, James spent fourteen years in executive leadership positions with General Motors, and thirteen years at Johnson Controls. James is on the Board of Directors for the Boys and Girls Club of Southeastern Michigan, and he holds a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering (BSEE) from Kettering University and a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from the University of Michigan-Flint.
David began his NFI Group career in 1998 as Corporate Controller, and in 2002 moved from Finance into the role of Vice President of Supply Management, where he led a multi-year transformation to a world-class, lean supply chain organization. David is responsible for North American Bus and Coach Supply Management with direct oversight of Supply & Materials, Sourcing, and Supplier Development.
Prior to NFI, David worked for eight years with Deloitte as a Chartered Accountant. David holds a Bachelor of Commerce (Honours) in Finance from the University of Manitoba, and obtained his Chartered Accountant (CA) designation in 1993.
Ian is a standout leader with over 15 years of experience in the design and management of complex engineering for heavy-duty transit buses. Ian oversees all aspects of the engineering operations for both New Flyer and MCI, including new product development, testing and validation, production engineering and electrical control systems for the transit buses and motor coaches, as well as the installation and commissioning of electric vehicle charging equipment provided by NFI Infrastructure Solutions™.
Since joining NABI/New Flyer in 2013, Ian progressed through multiple engineering leadership positions, including Systems Integration Manager, Chief Engineer of Design, Chief Engineer of Product Improvement, and Director of Production Engineering, to his current role as Vice President of Engineering Services. Prior to New Flyer, Ian served as Director of Engineering Design for DesignLine USA. Ian obtained his Bachelors of Engineering degree with Honors from the University of Canterbury in Christchurch, New Zealand.
Janice has been with NFI Group for 25 years and is currently serving as Executive Vice President, People and Culture. She is responsible for leading the people services function at NFI Group in a multi-location and diverse multi-national manufacturing, parts distribution, and service environment. Janice has worked in progressive human resource and management roles in the public and private sector with a proven track record in employee/labour relations, workplace culture enhancement, employee and organizational development, and safety/environmental systems management.
Janice holds a BA in Communication and Certificate in Human Resources Management from the University of Winnipeg and Diploma in Creative Communications from Red River College. She holds the Chartered Professional in Human Resources (CPHR) designation, SHRM Senior Certified Professional certification (SHRM-SCP) and Human Resources Compensation Committee designation from the Director’s College at McMaster University (HRCCC). She previously served as Board Chair for the Chartered Professionals in Human Resources of Manitoba.
Scott Halbesma has spent nearly two decades leading customer service solutions, having held progressive leadership roles focused on lifecycle support, service center development, field and technical services management, safety and compliance, and process continuous improvements. He joined New Flyer in 2000 and currently leads the Customer Service and Customer Program Management teams as Vice President, Customer Care, providing direction to align customer initiatives from order to program completion, including oversight of all field and post-delivery customer service activities. He holds both a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering (BMSE) degree from the University of Manitoba.
Jennifer McNeill is a transportation industry veteran with over two decades of leadership in bus and coach manufacturing and aerospace maintenance. She joined New Flyer in 2012 and leads the Sales and Marketing operation, while also providing strategic business intelligence direction.
Prior to joining New Flyer, Jennifer worked for StandardAero for 17 years where she held senior management and leadership positions in engineering, quality, sales, and business strategy, including Vice President Sales, Marketing and Business Development. Jennifer is a catalyst for the development of New Flyer’s zero-emission bus and infrastructure offerings in Canada and the U.S., and an advocate for smart, sustainable, and resilient mobility. She is a board member with the American Public Transit Association (APTA), Canadian Urban Transit Association (CUTA) and currently chairs the Canadian Urban Transit Research and Innovation Consortium (CUTRIC). She holds both a Mechanical Engineering degree and a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from the University of Manitoba and is an accredited Professional Engineer. Jennifer was named an Honouree of Canada’s prestigious Clean50 sustainability leaders in 2020, as the category leader for Manufacturing and Transportation.
Ben is a standout manufacturing leader with more than a decade of experience in procurement, sourcing, and materials management. He joined New Flyer in 2009 and is responsible for all New Flyer transit bus manufacturing and facilities operations across the U.S. and Canada, working closely with engineering, quality, safety, and supply chain functions.
Ben has progressed through many operational roles, including Materials Manager, Director of Materials, Director of Purchasing, Plant Manager, Vice President of Supply Management, and to his current role as Vice President, Manufacturing & Facilities. He holds a Bachelor of Business Administration and Management from Kennesaw State University and a Masters of Business Administration (MBA) from Benedictine University.
Steve is a seasoned finance professional with nearly two decades of experience leading accounting, finance, and compliance functions for manufacturing-focused organizations. He joined New Flyer in 2009 and progressed through financial analyst, corporate controller, and director of finance roles to his current role of Vice President, Finance. Steve oversees accounting and performance measurement, budgeting and forecasting, costing, compliance, cash management, and managerial accounting for the transit bus business.
Prior to New Flyer, he worked in public practice in accountant and assurance management roles. He holds a Bachelor of Accounting from Brock University, and is an accredited Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA).
Rob joined New Flyer in 1994, and in his nearly 30 years with the organization has assumed advancing responsibilities for facilities engineering, production, manufacturing engineering, and part fabrication. In his role as Vice President, Fabrication, Rob oversees operational excellence, quality and continuous improvement, and performance for all North American internal part fabrication and sub-assembly operations (including New Flyer, MCI, and Carfair Composites), together supporting NFI bus and coach manufacturing. Rob is an expert in lean manufacturing, holding Lean Certified Blackbelt accreditation through Lean Sensei International and the Canadian Manufacturers and Exporters, a Manufacturing Engineering Technology diploma from Red River College, a Chartered Manager (C.Mgr.) designation from the Canadian Institute of Management and the University of Manitoba, and a Production and Inventory Management certificate from the Association for Operations Management. He also holds Certified Engineering Technologist (CET), Certified in Management (C.I.M.), and Certified in Production and Inventory Management (CPIM) designations.
Brent is responsible for leading MCI private sector sales and marketing, working closely with engineering and aftermarket teams to serve private customers with MCI products, services, and support. Brent joined MCI in 2004, and during his tenure he has led pre-owned coach sales and MCI Service Center businesses, the redesign and market launch of the new-look MCI J4500 coach in 2013, and the introduction of the 2018 MCI J4500 coach interior redesign. Brent was named to his current position when MCI merged with New Flyer in 2020.
Prior to MCI, Brent was a partner in KIMA Consulting and a consultant with Deloitte. Brent holds a Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) from the University of Michigan.