MADISON, IN - Grote Industries, a world leader in high-performance LED lighting and lighting harness technology for the transportation industry, announced that Mark Blackford will be stepping into the role of national fleet manager.

Blackford has been working with Grote for nearly 20 years and has experience in product development, aftermarket sales management and national account management.

The fleet market is a key market for Grote. In his new post, Blackford will be responsible for managing all the fleet activities for both the OEM and aftermarket sales divisions. He will coordinate specifications at the OEMs and drive the national aftermarket programming for the heavy-duty aftermarket division.

John Grote, vice president, sales and marketing, said that Blackford has consistently demonstrated skills that make him well suited for his new position.

"Mark is the perfect Grote candidate for this highly important job," Grote said. "His relationship with the fleets and distributors is second to none. He has extensive experience in training and technical problem solving, and has a proven track record of managing results to exceed expectations."