Kenworth Truck Co. has appointed automotive industry veteran Jim Walenczak as its new general manager. Walenczak, who has worked at parent company Paccar Inc. for 13 years, will also serve as Paccar vice president. He takes over leadership of the century-old brand from Kevin Baney.
Bringing Over a Decade of Transportation Industry Experience
Walenczak joins Kenworth’s executive leadership team with over 13 years’ experience across several Paccar brands. He most recently served as Kenworth’s assistant general manager for sales and marketing.
In his time at Paccar, Walenczak has also held positions including:
- Fleet, region and general sales manager at Kenworth
- Assistant general manager of operations at Paccar Parts
Earlier in his career, he gained additional insight into the trucking industry operations and distribution networks.
Equipped to Lead Kenworth into the Future
With his breadth of experience, Walenczak is well-positioned to guide Kenworth as the company focuses on quality, technology and delivering solutions tailored to customer needs. This forward-looking strategy aligns with trends shaping transportation – increased customer demands, innovations like electric and autonomous trucks, and more.
Walenczak will draw on his background in sales and marketing as Kenworth navigates an evolving market. And his operations experience empowers him to maximize manufacturing efficiency.
Commenting on his appointment, Walenczak said: “This is a dynamic and exciting time in the transportation industry. And I am honored to step into this new role at Kenworth at a time when we are building on our core values of quality, innovation and technology to create the transportation solutions our customers need and want.”
Educational Background Supports Executive Leadership
Walenczak brings relevant academic credentials to his executive position. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in Marketing from Michigan State University and a Master of Business Administration from the University of Washington.
Additionally, he completed the prestigious Stanford Executive Program in 2023. This positions him to apply forward-looking business strategy as he guides Kenworth.
New Responsibilities Span Multiple Paccar Brands
As part of the promotion, Walenczak will serve as Paccar senior vice president. His oversight spans multiple company brands.
Along with heading Kenworth operations, he took the reins of:
- Paccar Information Technology Division
- Dynacraft, Paccar’s manufacturing services business
This breadth of responsibility across divisions exemplifies the parent company’s confidence in Walenczak’s vision and ability to deliver results.
Decades of Trucking Industry Leadership
Kenworth has been designing and manufacturing trucks for over 100 years. The company has established itself as an innovator committed to quality.
With Jim Walenczak now at the helm, Kenworth is poised to leverage technological advances and tailor manufacturing to customer requirements. His multifaceted experience and appointment as a Paccar VP also signal the parent company’s trust in his strategic leadership.
By leveraging their expertise and resources, Lading Logistics aims to provide efficient and reliable international shipping and logistics solutions for their clients.
