James L. Hebe, Navistar’s senior vice president, North America Sales Operations, will retire from Navistar. (Photo: eTrucker)

James L. Hebe, Navistar’s senior vice president, North America Sales Operations, will retire from Navistar, the company announced today. Hebe, 63, has led the company’s North American Truck sales and marketing efforts since re-joining the company in 2008.

Hebe began his career at International Harvester (Navistar’s predecessor) in 1971 as a management trainee in Boston, and later became a heavy truck salesman for International Trucks. After leaving International Harvester, Hebe held leadership roles of increasing responsibility with American LaFrance, Kenworth Truck Company, and Kenworth of Tampa, culminating with his appointment to chairman, president and chief executive officer of Freightliner in 1992.

After leaving Freightliner in 2001, Hebe became head of Seagrave Fire Apparatus in Clintonville, Wis. He returned to the trucking industry in 2006 when he became dealer principal of Co-Van/Cascadia International, before re-joining Navistar, Inc. two years later in his current role.