Adams was recognized at the annual Best of MichBusiness Awards and Gala event hosted at the MGM Grand in Detroit where more than 300 people gathered to honor Michigan’s most innovative and successful companies.
Adams, in his fourth year as CEO at Spartan, has orchestrated a shift that has transformed Spartan from regional chassis manufacturer to global leader and category innovator of last mile delivery vehicles, emergency response vehicles, Class A Diesel motorhomes, specialty service vehicles, and custom upfitted vocational fleets. Adams has applied more than 30 years of automotive manufacturing experience to introduce LEAN and Six Sigma manufacturing principals while developing a culture of employee empowerment that contributes to an impressive innovation pipeline. The result, the company says, is a revitalized commitment to manufacturing excellence and milestone business outcomes that include a 40 percent increase in revenue and a 1225 percent increase in net income, in just four years.
“I am honored to be recognized by MichBusiness and I’m proud of what my team has been able to accomplish in a relatively short period of time,” Adams says. “Change can be difficult, but we have a clear vision of who we are today and where we’re headed tomorrow. I’m surrounded by an incredibly talented and dedicated group of people who view the notion of change as both an opportunity and an inspiration. This recognition is really a nod to the entire Spartan Motors team.”
MichBusiness, formerly the Michigan Business and Professional Association (MBPA), is the state’s leading business advocacy group recognizing elite, talented and innovative individuals across Michigan for their success and influence as leaders in their specific industry sectors, Spartan Motors says.
