Motor Coach Industries (MCI) honored the contributions of Walter Sturdivant, who marks a half-century of service with MCI in April 2024. Sturdivant, based at the MCI Sales and Service Center in Blackwood, New Jersey, is the Pre-Owned Coach Manager for the Eastern Region. During the UMA EXPO Sneak Peek on Monday afternoon, MCI celebrated Sturdivant’s extraordinary service record with industry friends and colleagues.
Like the motorcoach brand he represents, Sturdivant treats his customers to a sales and service experience like none other.
“Walter is a remarkable example of what makes MCI trusted by so many operators,” said Anna M. Ávalo, MCI’s Pre-owned Coach Manager. “MCI values his contributions and the many industry friends he has made along the way.”
MCI records show Sturdivant has sold thousands of pre-owned coaches throughout the Eastern seaboard of the U.S. and other countries demanding quality used MCI coaches. “Walter is highly regarded for doing all he can to find the coaches that fit his customers’ needs,” added Ávalo.
Sturdivant joined MCI’s New Jersey operation on April 15, 1974. He worked his way up—from sweeping the shop floor and washing buses —to a mechanic and then to shop supervisor. Next came a move to used coach sales, capitalizing on the relationships he formed while working for the service center. In 2020, Sturdivant added inventory manager to his resume and returned to pre-owned coach sales in 2023.
Sturdivant stays connected with former customers and colleagues through social media. A dialogue on LinkedIn has Sturdivant recalling his biggest volume coach sale to John Oakman, a former owner and operator of a large motor coach company on the East Coast. “Those were the days,” messaged Oakman.
“Walter is one of our team’s most no-nonsense and straightforward members,” says Brent Maitland, VP Private Sector for MCI & New Flyer. “He tells it like it is and does the same for our customers. So many of our customers have worked with Walter, who is undoubtedly the most requested person at our trade shows and events. ‘Where’s Walter’ they say.”
“We look forward to many more years of his service to MCI,” Maitland continued.
Motor Coach Industries (MCI) is a subsidiary of NFI Group Inc. (NFI) and is North America’s motor coach leader. Products include the luxury J Series and the workhorse D Series. MCI also provides maintenance, repair, 24-hour roadside assistance, parts, and technician training through the industry’s only Automotive Service Excellence (“ASE”) accredited and award-winning MCI Academy.
