This summer, the Inland team welcomed Kevin Goss as their new Director of Fleet Sales (U.S. & Canada).
Tom Willcox, from the marketing team, sat down with Kevin and Chuck Peterman, VP of Sales, for an introductory chat. Their discussion touched on Kevin’s extensive background, his new role, and Inland’s strategies for maintaining leadership in the zero-emissions market.
Tom: Kevin, first off, welcome to Inland. We’re excited to have you aboard. Let’s start by having you tell us a little about your professional background.
Kevin: Thanks, Tom. This is an exciting opportunity for me, and I look forward to meeting everyone.
I’m a mechanical engineer by training. I spent my early career building liquid nitrogen, liquid carbon dioxide, and liquid natural gas (LNG) plants. I then worked on the Petronas LNG export program, focusing on their in-field natural gas separation plants for LNG export to Asia.
When the industry hit a slowdown, I started my own green hydrogen development company. We were about to pitch to Nutrien to supplement their steam methane reformer with an electrolyzer when Toyota recruited me for their hydrogen fuel cell truck project.
Project Ocean, as it was known, consisted of 10 prototype Kenworth trucks running in the Port of Los Angeles. It was a joint venture between Toyota and Kenworth’s engineering teams. My first role was interfacing with the project’s customers. Once that phase had concluded, I took over the leadership role in the business development relationship between PACCAR and Toyota.
That journey has led me here—to Inland.
Tom: Tell us about you as a person. What personal qualities do you bring to the role?
Kevin: Well, I was born and raised in Calgary. I went to school in Ontario but returned to Calgary after graduation to work in oil and gas. I enjoy skiing and golfing, but now, raising three young kids is my primary hobby!
As for the role, I bring persistence and a keen interest in how fleets use technology. I’m passionate about the technology and understand it fundamentally as an engineer.
Tom: Chuck, Kevin is obviously a unique hire for Inland. Tell us what excites you about bringing him on board.
Chuck: There’s no doubt that we have the industry’s most knowledgeable New Truck Sales Consultants. Nobody understands the products better than our team. Pairing that expertise with Kevin’s engineering background creates a dynamic combination regardless of whether the customer wants to purchase trucks with Diesel, Natural Gas, Battery Electric, Hydrogen, or other emerging technology powertrains. We’re very excited to welcome Kevin to the team.
Tom: Can you elaborate on Inland’s strategies for its continued leadership in the zero-emissions market?
Chuck: Operating in Southern California and British Columbia, we’re on the cutting edge of zero-emissions technology. We need to ensure we have the resources to support our customers effectively. All our customers are inquiring about zero-emissions solutions and want to partner with a dealer group that acts as a trusted advisor, not just a dealer.
Tom: What do you anticipate being Kevin’s biggest challenge in this new role?
Chuck: Many customers may think Kevin is offering just another sales pitch—but he’s truly coming in as a technical advisor. The world of zero-emissions is uncharted territory, which can be daunting for many of our customers. His role is to ease their fears and provide the necessary information to help them understand and trust the new technology. It’s about building confidence and showing them that we are here to support them every step of the way. This approach is crucial for our continued leadership in the zero-emissions market, and I’m confident Kevin’s unique background will be instrumental in achieving this.
Tom: Kevin, tell us about the existing partnerships and resources you’re bringing from past experiences.
Kevin: I built strong relationships with Kenworth’s engineering teams during my time at Toyota. Additionally, I have numerous industry contacts within Toyota and beyond that were cultivated while working on the fuel cell project.
Tom: And what is your outlook on the current state of the zero-emissions landscape? What additional support can customers expect from Inland in navigating this new world?
Kevin: The California Air Resources Board has made it clear that all trucks sold must be zero-emissions by 2042—and they’re serious about that. Having a product that complements our customers’ regulatory challenges is crucial as we navigate these dynamic times.
As Chuck mentioned, Inland is well-positioned to guide our customers through this “messy middle,” as I’ve heard it called. There’s also the regionalized grant funding side, which requires a significant focus on where and how the customer is operating. This takes a lot of support from the Inland team to ensure our customers are capturing as much value as possible.
Tom: Thanks, all. Kevin, welcome once again. We can’t wait to see the positive impact you’ll have both internally and externally. Chuck, would you like to end with some final words?
Chuck: Yes, I want to reiterate the significance of what we’re doing here.
Our sales force knows trucks like no other. They know truck specifications and how these specifications are best tailored to meet our customers’ applications—they’re the best in the business.
When you partner them with someone who brings a different perspective and critically important background, we’re unstoppable. There’s no other dealer group that will be able to support our customers the way we do.