After more than a decade in the North American motorcoach industry, Zane Gray is steering his career in a new direction.
The industry veteran has joined Sumitomo Mitsui Finance and Leasing Co. (SMFL) as regional sales manager–vice president, overseeing motorcoach and school bus financing across North America.
His path to this role began in 2010 and spans nearly every part of the industry — service, sales, manufacturer representation, and marketing.
Based in Tokyo, SMFL ranks among the world’s leading financial institutions, offering asset-based financing, leasing, and structured solutions across industries from construction and logistics to renewable energy.
In his new position, Gray will guide efforts to expand SMFL’s transportation financing programs for the motorcoach and school bus markets, providing customized options that match the needs of each operator.
“Although it’s bittersweet to leave Daimler Coaches, I couldn’t be more excited to join SMFL and continue supporting this industry in a new way,” he said. “Helping operators find the right financial solutions to sustain and grow their businesses feels like a natural next step in my journey.”
New aspect of the industry
Gray said he joined the global firm because of its strong presence in transportation and commercial equipment. SMFL works with manufacturers, dealers, and operators to deliver flexible programs that promote growth and stability. The opportunity offered him a chance to work more closely with operators and expand his connections with OEMs.
SMFL traces its origins to a 17th-century copper-smelting and trading business in Japan and now stands among the top 15 banks worldwide. Its growing North American transportation division is part of a broader plan to strengthen partnerships with fleet operators and manufacturers.
Most recently, Gray was director of marketing for Daimler Coaches North America, where he helped lead one of the industry’s biggest projects: introducing the Mercedes-Benz Tourrider, the first Mercedes-Benz motorcoach designed for the North American market.
“The motorcoach industry has been my professional home for nearly 15 years, and it’s given me the opportunity to work alongside some of the most passionate and innovative people in transportation,” Gray said. “Being part of the Daimler Coaches North America team — helping bring the Mercedes-Benz Tourrider from concept to reality, during one of the most challenging times in our industry — has been a true highlight of my career.”
Launching the luxury motorcoach in the middle of a global pandemic added pressure. Gray along with global Daimler team worked across continents to keep the Tourrider program on schedule as factories, supply chains, and travel were disrupted.
“During COVID, we had to rethink how to collaborate, how to communicate, and how to bring a coach from concept to reality when so much of the world had stopped moving,” Gray said. “That experience showed what this industry is capable of.”
Skilled behind the wheel
Gray’s driving skills are as notable as his management experience. He’s known for maneuvering large vehicles through tight spaces — a talent that combines natural ability with lessons learned behind the wheel of firetrucks. In his early 20s, he was a volunteer firefighter in Pearland, Texas, where he learned to steer emergency vehicles through city streets and crowded intersections.
“We drove everything from small brush trucks to massive ladder trucks,” he said. “You had to understand space, weight, and timing. That experience gave me an instinct for how big vehicles move.”
That instinct later earned him a reputation in the motorcoach industry for guiding buses through narrow spaces with precision. Trade-show colleagues recall him easing 45-foot motorcoaches into exhibition halls with inches to spare.
“People keep telling me I’m good at tight-space driving,” he said with a grin. “I’ve put buses into spots with barely an inch on either side. It’s really about spatial awareness — that sense of where your corners are and how to make the vehicle do what you want, and having a really good spotter.”
Gray keeps his commercial driver’s license current. One reason, he said, is to help his wife, who owns FedEx routes in East Texas, where an extra licensed driver is sometimes needed.
“If I’m visiting a customer and they want to take a bus for a spin, I’ll hop right in,” Gray said. “That’s the best part of this industry — being close to the equipment, the operators, and the people who make it all move.”
Zane Gray can be reached at Zane.Gray@smflus.com.
