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Featured Employee
Getting to Know You - Frank Percacciante, Sales Representative
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Frank started his career with Leonard Bus Sales in March of 1991, serving as school bus sales representative in several counties in central and eastern New York. Today, Frank is responsible for all school bus sales activities in eleven counties extending from central New York to the Capital-Saratoga Region and down the Hudson Valley, and is widely acknowledged as one of the leaders of the Leonard Bus sales team. He was recently recognized by IC Corporation as a Diamond Club award winner for the fifth consecutive year; a prestigious award that is reserved for only the top performers in the national IC distributor network.
A devoted New York Yankee fan, Frank also enjoys the outdoors and spending time with his family.
Past Featured Employees
Getting to Know You - Joe Doyle, Operations Manager - Mechanicville
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Joe Doyle began his career with Leonard Bus Sales in December of 1989 as a road service mechanic. In succeeding years, Joe used a tremendous depth of technical knowledge and exceptional customer service skills to develop a number of professional relationships that continue today.
In December of 2006, Joe accepted the position of Operations Manager at our Mechanicville facility, where he is responsible for general management of the facility and staff, coordination of service and new bus workflow, and customer satisfaction and support.
In his spare time, Joe enjoys golfing, riding ATVs, and photography.
Getting to Know You - Adam Lee, Service Technician
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Adam started his career with Leonard Bus Sales in August of 1989 as a new bus prep technician. In succeeding years, his responsibilities grew to include body repairs, glass installation, and warranty services on all models of buses. As LBS grew and expanded, Adam routinely demonstrated his versatility by supporting all types of service tasks, including road calls.
Today, Adam serves as lead body technician in our Deposit facility. He continues to perform all types of collision and body warranty repairs with enthusiasm and an exceptional attention to detail, and exemplifies Leonard Bus Sales’ commitment to customer service and support.
In his spare time, Adam enjoys hunting and camping with his three sons.
Getting to Know You - Paul Schoch, Service Manager
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Paul began working for Leonard Bus Sales in August of 1988 at the Hancock, NY location.
His original duties included maintenance, new bus prep, bus washing, lettering, and being an “on demand” driver.
In December of 1988, LBS moved to its current location in Deposit, and Paul’s responsibilities expanded to include wreck repair, body work, engine work, and field service calls.
Paul went on to fill the position as the service representative, traveling to customer locations for field repairs and developing relationships that continue today. In 1996, he became shop foreman, and in 1998 was promoted to his present position as service manager.
In his spare time, Paul likes to golf, snowmobile, four-wheel, fish and spend time with his family.
Getting to Know You - Betsy Yakaitis, Sales Administrator
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Betsy began working part-time for Leonard Bus Sales in January of 1988 at the Hancock, New York location when she was called in to answer the phones one day when both office employees were out. She has been coming to work everyday since!
Her original duties included anything anyone needed. She was sort of a “Gal-Friday” and her jobs included typing customer invoices on a typewriter in the sign shop and doing accounts receivable. Later that year, she moved to the parts department, and began taking customer calls and packing and shipping parts.
In December of 1988, LBS moved to its new Deposit location, and Betsy helped set up the parts inventory on the company’s first computer system. She also printed invoices, did the bank and post office runs, ordered office supplies, helped process bus warranties, assisted with inventory control, took customer calls, and did the shipping and receiving.
In August of 1991, she accepted a position in the Sales Department, ordering buses, handling customer purchase orders, DMV, and related paperwork, including scheduling buses for pickup at a mid-way point between Deposit and the factory. It was a crash course in DOT regulations and school bus options.
Betsy is currently responsible for Type A bus orders, bids and specifications, and numerous daily challenges. Betsy said “she appreciates the opportunities working at LBS have provided her, and continues to enjoy the many acquaintances and deep friendships developed through the years”.
Since that day in January of 1988, LBS has grown to over 100 employees, and in addition to the Deposit location, there are facilities in Mechanicville, Rome, and Bergen.
In her spare time, Betsy likes to do anything that will expand her mind and her horizons, and especially enjoys spending time with family and good friends.
Getting to Know You - Jerry McGraw, Sales Representative
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Jerry started working for Leonard Bus Sales in July of 1987 at the Hancock, NY location. He was hired as a driver to pick up new buses en route from the factory and then deliver the units to customers after they were prepped. The pick up location was a gas station located in Batavia. Jerry and four other drivers left Hancock around 4am in a van to pick up five buses, and on the way back, they hooked the van to the back of the bus Jerry was driving and towed it back with them. This was typically done twice a week during the busy season. Once they returned, they parked the buses several blocks away from LBS on an empty lot in Hancock because the garage wasn’t large enough to accommodate that many buses.
Once the buses were prepped and ready for delivery, Jerry would once again hook up the van to the back of the bus, and tow it along with him to the customer’s location so he would have a ride back home.
In August of 1987, Mike Leonard purchased the site in Deposit that LBS is headquartered on today. Jerry’s temporary assignment was to clear the new lot to prepare for building – when it was done, he went back to doing pick-up and delivery of new buses.
In early 1988, Jerry was promoted to Sales Representative covering five counties in New York, including Broome, Delaware, Otsego, Schoharie and Sullivan. As LBS grew, so did Jerry’s territory. Today, in addition to the original five counties, Jerry’s area of responsibility includes the counties of Orange, Putnam, Chenango, Tioga, Chemung, and other selected accounts.
Things have changed a little since that summer of 1987. When Jerry started working for LBS, there were 10 employees working out of the little garage in Hancock. Today, LBS has over 100 employees, and in addition to their location in Deposit there are facilities in Mechanicville, Rome, and Bergen.
In his spare time, Jerry likes to snowmobile, hunt, play golf, watch NASCAR and spend time with his 10-year old daughter Lindsay. He is also a volunteer firefighter in the Northern Wayne Fire Department.
Getting to Know You - Glenna Novak, Controller
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Glenna began her career with Leonard Bus Sales in August of 1982. At that time, LBS was a small business comprised of four employees, including Mike Leonard and his mother, Helen. It was operated out of the Leonard’s basement home office in Hancock, New York.
In 1982, Helen had been hospitalized with appendicitis. Needing help with the business until his mother recuperated, Mike gave Glenna a call. Glenna answered that “call” and has been with LBS ever since.
Glenna has seen many changes over the years and the growth of LBS has been exciting and challenging. Her position and responsibilities with LBS have also grown over three decades, from bookkeeper to her present title of controller. She deals with information systems, policy decisions, procedures and workflow, and human resources, as well as the myriad of unexpected problems that arise on a daily basis.
Glenna takes great pride in being part of Leonard Bus Sales. She believes that the potential for success is directly related to the way management deals with its employees, customers and vendors. Leonard Bus Sales encompasses that degree of integrity, compassion and respect for the individual, positive motivation and opportunity for advancement that makes that success possible.
As Glenna states, “ I feel my job is easy because of the good people I work with”.
Glenna has been married for 26 years and has 2 children, age 19 and 22. Her interests include traveling, gardening, home decorating and spending time with family and friends.
Getting to Know You - Wayne Bouchoux, Parts Department
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Wayne began his career with Leonard Bus Sales in August of 1982. At that time LBS was located in Hancock, New York.
The parts department consisted of two people. Inventory was limited and was controlled by writing the sale of a part in a card filing system. In addition to working in the parts department, Wayne’s primary responsibilities were picking up new buses, prepping them and delivering them to the school districts.
As the business grew, Wayne became more active in parts sales. With a parts truck, he called on school districts in the company’s area of responsibility. Wayne currently works in the Deposit parts department.
The parts department now has eleven employees; two parts trucks and over 4800 different parts in stock.
Needless to say, the old card filing system went by the wayside and was replaced by a sophisticated computer system. Despite technological advances, maintaining and running a smooth inventory and parts sales department is still a daily challenge.
Wayne feels that LBS has assembled a great group of people over the years in his department. They work together well as a team which is reflected in the high degree of customer satisfaction that LBS consistently generates.
Outside of work, Wayne enjoys golfing in the summer months and downhill skiing when the snow flies.
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