Smith Electric Vehicles Corp. (Smith), a leader in all-electric commercial vehicles, announced the appointment, effective Nov. 4, 2011, of Thomas T. Stallkamp and Robert J. Druten to its board of directors, and Bryan Hansel, Smith's current president and chief executive officer, as chairman.

Mr. Stallkamp brings more than 40 years of experience in executive and management roles for original equipment and automobile manufacturers, including DaimlerChrysler Company and Ford Motor Company. Mr. Druten possesses wide-ranging experience as a senior financial officer and board member for a variety of private and public companies, including Hallmark Cards, Entertainment Properties Inc. and Kansas City Southern.

"We're pleased to welcome Tom and Bob to our board, and expect that their expertise will complement the strong leadership our board provides to the company," said Hansel. "Tom's perspective on growing and managing a large multinational organization with complex manufacturing operations and supply chain logistics will be invaluable to Smith, while Bob's extensive experience as a chief financial officer and board member of public companies will strengthen our board's ability to carry out its financial oversight responsibilities. I expect that both Tom and Bob will meaningfully contribute to our governance function and the development of our board."

Mr. Hansel, who has served as Smith's president and chief executive officer since its inception in January 2009, succeeds Roy Stanley, who had served as Smith's chairman since December 2009. "Roy's leadership has been instrumental in creating today's industry for commercial electric vehicles and positioning Smith prominently in that market," commented Hansel. "All of us at Smith are grateful for Roy's service to Smith and contributions to the broader EV industry."