Mack Trucks Australia vice president of sales and marketing, Dean Bestwick will move out of his role with VGA to take a up a position with Mack Trucks North America as a regional vice president of the iconic Bulldog brand, responsible for the US North East region based at the company’s HQ and Heartland in Allentown, Pennsylvania.
Bestwick confirmed a rumour Truck and Bus put to him and said that it was an exciting time but does come with some slight regret.
“It’s all go, I would have loved to have been here in Australia for arrival of the Anthem and all our new models, but this is too good an opportunity to pass up,” Bestwick told us.
“It’s going to be a big responsibility because it is the most important region in America for Mack, with annual sales of around 4000 trucks covering Pennsylvania, New York and all of the north eastern states, it really is the spiritual home and heartland of Mack,” he added.
“I am very excited and so is the family, it is a big move, but we are ready for it,” he added.
Bestwick, is a Bulldog enthusiast through and through and has firmly driven the brand for the last ten years as boss of the brand in Australia.
Bestwick has had a 20-year career with Mack so far, starting with the company in 2000 and working his way through a number of sales and management positions, before joining the executive management team in 2005. He was appointed to head up the brand in Australia in 2010.
The Mack USA’s North Eastern region is the most important for the brand in America and last year accounted for 50 per cent of all Mack’s sold in America, leaving the other four regions to carve up the remaining 50 per cent of volume.
Bestwick’s move to America comes after 18 months of significant personnel shifts within VGA following former president and CEO Peter Voorhoeve’s move to a new role as VP of Volvo Trucks North America and Volvo truck boss Mitch Peden’s move to be managing director of Volvo Trucks Malaysia, as well as the arrival and departure of two PR managers and the departure of marketing manager Teresia Fors after less than two years.
T&B News understands that UD boss Mark Strambi is also likely to announce his retirement from his role with the company in the next few months.
It is understood that the selection of a replacement for Bestwick is still underway with an internal candidate believed to be the most likely appointment.
Bestwick will be missed in the Australian truck landscape. He has built a tremendous rapport with Mack customers and within the truck industry. His sense of humour and his ability to relate to truck buyers has been a major advantage in Australia and we are sure that he will translate this to his new environment in the USA.
