Tom Wagner has rejoined Motor Coach Industries (MCI) and will work alongside Patricia Ziska, Vice President of Private Sector Sales, who will retire at the end of the year after more than a four-decade career with MCI.
Upon Ziska’s retirement, Wagner will lead MCI’s team of regional sales vice presidents in the U.S. and Canada, the company announced. The team sells new MCI models and pre-owned coaches to private sector operators.
After joining MCI’s public sector sales team in 2005, Wagner built a 15-year career at MCI, rising to a vice president position before leaving in 2020 and joining another original equipment manufacturer.
Two accomplished careers
Ziska, who has held many leadership roles within MCI and is widely respected throughout the industry, will work with Wagner and the MCI sales team prior to her retirement. Among the milestone achievements in her career is the launch of many new products and services, including the MCI J4500, the industry’s ongoing best-selling coach model.
“We value the talents Tom brings to his position and all that Pat has accomplished in her extraordinary career at MCI,” said Brent Maitland, Vice President, Private Sector Sales and Marketing. “Tom has a depth of experience managing complex contracts. He knows our product lines and manufacturing processes and has proven himself to be a strong sales leader. Tom helped to shape our reliability- and relationship-driven business philosophies and is both trusted and respected industrywide. He has the skills to lead our sales team and continue Pat’s legacy.”
While at MCI, Wagner contributed to the success of MCI’s D-Series commuter coach with public transit agencies, including New Jersey Transit, and was involved in the launch of the compressed natural gas and hybrid electric powertrain. He also helped to introduce the next generation, low-entry D45 CRT LE and its zero-emission, battery-electric version. Wagner holds a bachelor’s degree in marketing and economics from Northern Illinois University.
Ziska joined MCI in 1976 and became the company’s first female vice president in 1996. Her career achievements also include the launch of MCI’s earliest green marketing environmental campaigns for motor coaches. She has been an instrumental member of industry associations, including IMG, Trailways, United Motorcoach Association and American Bus Association. She was an influential supporter of ABA’s Women in Buses and helped build the Motorcoach Marketing Council.
“MCI has provided me with an astounding career, and I value the friendships I’ve made along the way,” Ziska said. “Our leadership team will be strengthened by Tom’s contributions, and I look forward to many more MCI milestones ahead of us.”
