Thomas Built Buses recognized its top dealers of the year at its annual dealer meeting in Greensboro, N.C. on October 4, 2011, naming Whayne Power Systems, of Whayne Supply Company in Louisville, Ky. the top dealer.


Thomas Built president and CEO Kelley Platt presented the 2011 Dealer of the Year award to Frank Lewis, general manager of Whayne Power Systems, of Whayne Supply Company in Louisville, Ky. Whayne Supply, which is the Thomas Built Buses dealer for the state of Kentucky, is a full service dealer, offering sales, parts and vehicle service.

"Among Whayne's noteworthy accomplishments is its work with state organizations to help Kentucky obtain the first and biggest federal hybrid school bus grant in the U.S. In large part because of the firm's efforts, Thomas Built Buses has delivered more cutting-edge diesel-electric hybrid technology school buses than any other school bus manufacturer in the country," said Platt. "But Whayne Supply is more than sales, Whayne consistently delivers in the service arena. We regularly receive wonderful comments from our customers who tell us that all of Wayne's 11 main servicing locations provide second to none service support."

The Dealer of the Year award is selected annually from four regional winners that demonstrate outstanding performance in customer satisfaction, customer service and support, financial performance and overall relationship with Thomas Built Buses.

Honored as regional dealers of the year, in addition to Whayne Supply Co. in the government sales category, were:

W.C. Cressey & Son Inc., Kennebunk, Maine (northeastern region)

Sonny Merryman, Inc., Evington, Va. (southeast region)

Western Mountain Bus Sales, Nampa, Idaho (western region)

At the same event, gold, silver and bronze awards for dealership excellence were presented to selected dealers in recognition of outstanding performance in service, parts support and bus sales.