MIT Sloan Executive Education
Certificate Holder Profile
Dennis C. Whitaker
Vice President, Product Development
Blue Bird Corporation
USA
Executive Certificate(s):
Technology, Operations, and Value Chain Management
At Blue Bird Corporation, the premier school bus manufacturer in North America, Dennis Whitaker is on the leading-edge of personnel, systems, organizational development, and product development. He is responsible for supporting the effort to provide the safest transportation possible for school children, as well as commercial and activity bus products for the global market. Dennis led the product development teams during the design conception of the TC/2000, Excel 102, Blue Bird Vision, and the next generation Type "D" products for the North American school bus and international commercial bus markets.
Prior to becoming the leader in Blue Bird school bus product design, Dennis led the design function for the Blue Bird commercial strategic business unit. In that role, he worked with several North American and international businesses in Western Europe to develop the Ultra LF, a medium duty low floor transit bus for the North American market.
"As I assumed leadership roles in the technical and design functions, I recognized the need to have a more broad-based understanding of the business. My experience with the Executive Education programs at MIT Sloan has provided a practical application and understanding of the latest research in organizational and product development. The application of principles learned in the programs has added tremendous value for my employer. One of the most difficult parts of being a leader in today's business environment is to efficiently accomplish the necessary exposure to education and research to remain current and relevant. The Executive Education programs at MIT Sloan provide that opportunity."
Dennis holds a BS in Business Administration and an Executive MBA from Colorado Technical University. He is a member of the Society for Automotive Engineers and the Product Development and Management Association.
