PHH Arval has announced that Michael C. Lewis has been named president and general manager of First Fleet Corp., a PHH Arval subsidiary company. In addition, Lewis has been named senior vice president of truck strategy at PHH Arval to facilitate the company’s overall North American truck growth initiative. He also will be a member of the PHH Arval senior leadership team.
“The promotion of Mike Lewis to leadership positions at First Fleet and PHH Arval will allow us to more effectively leverage the capabilities, client base, marketing and industry contacts of both companies in the expanding truck market,” says George J. Kilroy, president and chief executive officer of PHH Arval.
PHH Arval acquired Fort Lauderdale, Fla.-based First Fleet — a provider of asset management, financial and operational support to the nation’s private truck fleets — in 2004. Lewis, who joined First Fleet in 2001, has played a key role in the company’s growth and strategic positioning in the market, the transformation of its business model and the innovation and design of its products.
In his new roles, Lewis will be responsible for heading up a comprehensive, integrated PHH Arval truck strategy. He replaces John J. Flynn, founder and former president and CEO of First Fleet, who recently left after a contractual two-year transition period following the acquisition.
In a related move, Jeff Smith, senior vice president at PHH Arval, has taken on the newly-created position of senior vice president of North American truck sales. Smith will be responsible for unifying the strategy and capabilities of all of PHH Arval’s truck and equipment sales channels, including PHH Arval United States and Canada, PHH Equipment Leasing and First Fleet.
