Bus Equipment People Irizar USA Irizar USA is very excited to introduce Patrick Laffan as the newest member of their team. Laffan has been working for the motorcoach industry since 2003 and has a deep knowledge of the industry from both sales and technical aspects. He will be in the position of senior account executive and mostly serving the Northeastern United States.
Laffan joined the motorcoach industry as a young man with DATTCO, and then Patrick Laffan eventually moved into bus sales. He has worked with different manufacturers and dealerships, mostly recently with MCI and worked with them for almost four years. A Connecticut local, he is very familiar with the region and has built several strong relationships in his career. He has a very collaborative approach to sales and likes to engage with the customers – on support and technical aspects as well. He describes himself as being very dedicated, accessible and focuses on building long-term relationships. He loves working in the motorcoach industry and the involvement of family businesses that represent its modest nature. Having been very impressed with Irizar product line, Laffan is thrilled to be a part of a growing team and working with a product that is new and exciting to the U.S. market. He feels the values and organizational structure of Irizar are very interesting and resonate to his work beliefs. He will work not only in sales but help build deeper roots in the region and develop the already existing sales network as well. The company believes that Laffan will exceed the expectations of its existing and potential customers in the area. Laffan resides in Connecticut with his family and is an active volunteer in the community. He enjoys disc-golfing and participating in leagues and tournaments.
Irizar USA also announces the addition of Kevin Keith to the team. 14 • National Bus Trader / February, 2021
Keith is a 26-year motorcoach industry professional with a very wide and extensive knowledge of the industry and Southeastern United States. He will be in the position of senior account executive and provide sales and support to the customers in the region and beyond. Starting with Welch Industries and Front-Line, Keith worked with them for 13 years, starting as a technician, a supervisor and then as manager. He then completed his Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, with a concentration in operations management. He joined MCI and worked with them for 14 years in various positions, the final position being the director of service centers. His most notable role there was a national director of customer solutions. He now has joined Irizar USA and looks forward to being a part of the growing team.
Keith knows the industry very well and has built valuable local relationships through the years. He is very familiar with the Southeastern area and is well recognized and trusted. He emphasizes on supporting the c u s t o m e r s throughout the sales and the aftersales process. He believes his loyalty, availability, dedication and determination are some of the key factors that set him apart. Keith Kevin Keith has extensive knowledge on the technical aspects as well and is very eager to help his customers with any help they might need.
Keith was very impressed with the Irizar product line and is very eager to be working with it. He is very elated to join the company and believes that he will bring the company closer to the customers in the area. He will be working for the sales as well as the extension of the service network in the region. Keith was born and grew up in the South. He lived briefly in Puerto Rico and Dominica in his childhood as his parents were missionaries and now lives in central Florida with his family. He is a fitness enthusiast and enjoys camping and boating. He also serves
as the president of his neighborhood homeowner’s association. Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance Jake Elovirta joined the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA) on January 4 as its new director of enforcement programs. He will be responsible for developing and managing the Alliance’s traffic enforcement safety programs, projects and training.
Elovirta will apply his more than 30 years of transportation safety experience to provide leadership, guidance and direction to law enforcement personnel and the motor carrier industry on all aspects of commercial motor vehicle safety and traffic enforcement.
“We’re pleased to welcome Jake to CVSA headquarters staff,” said CVSA Executive Director Collin Mooney. “As we continue to advance the goals of the Alliance, we are devoting even more resources to traffic enforcement and public safety education initiatives. This new position further demonstrates our commitment to reducing roadway deaths and injuries attributable to driver behaviors, the leading cause of crashes.”
In addition to coordinating and managing the Alliance’s traffic enforcement safety initiatives, Elovirta will also manage CVSA’s Human Trafficking Enforcement program and the Operation Safe Driver program and its associated traffic safety awareness and enforcement initiative, Operation Safe Driver Week. He will also develop and implement commercial motor vehicle traffic enforcement training programs and serve as the primary contact and resource regarding commercial motor vehicle enforcement safety issues. “I am happy to join the CVSA team,” said Elovirta. “As the new director of enforcement programs, I will work to address the needs of the membership, advocate the positions of the Alliance and advance CVSA’s mission, goals and strategic plan. I’ve spent my entire professional career devoted to transportation safety and I plan to continue that lifelong commitment in this new role.”
Prior to joining CVSA, Elovirta spent 22 years with the Vermont Department of Motor Vehicle’s Enforcement and Safety Division. He served as safety chief of the department’s Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Unit, then was appointed to colonel/director of the Enforcement and Safety Division. He
