Leadership

Kathryn is the Director of Operations at Schmitty & Sons which is an employee-owned company located in Burnsville, MN. She has worked in the transportation industry for 12 years focusing on marketing, recruitment, safety, customer and employee relations. She is passionate about the importance of safe and reliable student and passenger transportation. Kathryn attended the University of St. Thomas where she earned her degree in Business Marketing Management.

Shane has been working at Palmer Bus Service since 2009 and currently serves as Chief Operations Officer (COO). He oversees the operations of over 25 locations across the state of Minnesota by collaborating closely with site management and school district leadership. Shane is passionate about employee development and uses his years in corporate leadership and his service in the military to curate talent amongst his team and build a strong bench of new leaders that positively impact the school bus industry.

Newer to the Board and Industry, Traven Medawar has a passion for making a difference. Traven is the General Manager of Ready Bus Company and Rochester Bus Service and works in sales with Minnesota Coaches. He spent time on the Board of Directors for United Way and currently serves on the development committee for Rochester Catholic Schools. With his previous experience in logistics at Amazon as well as Enterprise Rent-a-Car, he is looking to bring a diverse perspective to the MSBOA.

Bethany has been the President of Trobec's Bus Service for over six years. She grew up in the school bus industry and has a true passion for the business. Bethany recalls begging her dad, Tim Schubert - CEO of Trobec's Bus Service, to take her to work with him during summer months in elementary school and always yearning to travel with him on motor coaches when she was on breaks from school.

Meet Jason Anderson. Jason is the director of business development for Vision Transportation in Elk River and Big Lake. He started in the bus business in 2007 and has never looked back. Jason values his many friends and colleagues in the industry and truly has a passion for this business. Jason’s hope for all in the student transportation business is that they have a blessed and safe school year and are able to find an abundance of drivers. 

I am honored and humbled to have the opportunity to serve on the Minnesota School Bus Operators Association Board of Directors. It is a privilege to join such an accomplished group of transportation professionals, and I look forward to learning from my fellow board members while giving back to an industry that has had such a profound impact on my life and career. I currently serve as the Director of Student Transportation for Transit Team, Inc., where I oversee school transportation operations serving Minneapolis, St. Paul, and Bloomington Public Schools. My journey in student transportation began behind the wheel as a driver and has led me through roles in driver training, safety, and operations leadership. Those experiences have given me a deep appreciation for every role within our industry and the people who make safe, reliable student transportation possible each day.

I am passionate about creating environments where drivers and transportation professionals can succeed. My interests include advancing driver recruitment, strengthening training and professional development, promoting positive recognition, improving retention, and fostering a culture where safety and operational excellence go hand in hand. I hope to contribute ideas and initiatives that provide meaningful value to MSBOA members while helping our industry continue to grow and evolve.

Outside of work. I am the proud father of three incredible daughters, who continually inspire me to become a better leader and person each day. I am grateful for the unwavering support of my family and my partner, whose encouragement has made so many of my personal and professional accomplishments possible.

Mike and his wife, Jen, are the owners of Aksamit Transportation, Inc., also known as ATI. Mike started his school bus career in 1991 working for North Central Bus Sales in the parts department and quickly moved into the sales department. He and his wife have 4 children and 3 grandchildren.

Connie Grisim member of MSBOA since 1984 and has served on the board of directors for the past 12 years. She and her husband Curt have owned Grisim School Bus together in Stewartville since 1984. The two started their business with a handful of routes and it has grown into something that always keeps them busy and is always rewarding. “The school bus community provides us with lifelong of friends and family,” Connie said.

Emmee Grisim Lopez is the Senior Coordinator for Bluff Country School Bus Service, proudly serving the Lake City and Wabasha-Kellogg school districts and has been in her role since 2016. Here deep-rooted passion for student transportation stems from her grandfather, Ken Grisim, and her parents, Doug and Cara Grisim - all dedicated members of the Minnesota School Bus Operators Association (MSBOA).

Rachel Hoglund Klein is third generation owner/operator for Vision Transportation of Big Lake, Elk River and St. Michael-Albertville.  Rachel enjoys the challenges and opportunities that the busing industry has to offer.  She is excited to be a part of MSBOA and looks forward to assisting in building relationships and foster growth for all within the industry.

Mike Kubesh from Willmar. I have been married to my wife Jess for almost 31 years. She IS my life!!!  We have 2 grown boys, Isaiah (Sheriff Deputy) who is married to Amber (ER nurse) who have our first granddaughter, Avery, who is 11 months old.  Ethan (Job Coach for Disabled people) is married to Katelyn (Pharmacy Tech) and has our grandson, Dakota, who is 1.5 months old. 

Garrett is the President of Faribault Transportation, Harmony Transit, and Ready Bus Company.  He grew up in the bus business as part of the Minnesota Coaches group of companies and has been working full time for the last 13 years in operations and contracting.  Garrett graduated in 2009 from the University of Notre Dame.

Benjamin “Ben” Wiley-Boaz is the Director of Operations at Trobec’s Bus Service, bringing more than 16 years of leadership experience in the student transportation industry. Throughout his career, Ben has led large-scale, multi-location transportation operations, managed teams of hundreds of employees, and worked extensively in fleet management, safety, regulatory compliance, technology implementation, operational efficiency, and business development.
Ben is passionate about building strong teams, developing future leaders, and finding pragmatic and practical solutions that improve safety, service, and organizational performance. He thrives when told that something cannot be done and is always looking for new ways to improve systems - whether anyone asks him to or not. Ben believes successful transportation operations are built through strong relationships among employees, school districts, customers, and industry partners. He holds a bachelor’s degree in business finance, a Master of Business Administration, and a professional certification in change management.
Ben and his wife, Kristy, have four nonstop, always-on-the-go children: Johnathan, Angelo, Francesca, and Federica. Both boys play travel hockey in competing districts, Francesca plays volleyball, and Federica plays lacrosse. Ben and Kristy put his extensive transportation experience to good use coordinating sports schedules that are often headed in four different directions. And, as if that were not enough hockey for one family, Ben still finds time to play in a men’s league.
Outside of work—well, let’s be honest—between work, the girls’ sports, hockey times three, coordinating a family that is constantly on the move, and cheering them all on from the sidelines and bleachers, there is time for little else.