President of Quality Manufacturing Plans to Step Down by Year End

CHARLOTTE, Mich., April 3 /PRNewswire/ -- Quality Manufacturing, a subsidiary of Spartan Motors, Inc. (NASDAQ:SPAR) , today announced that Gene Hall plans to step down as president for health reasons.

Quality, which manufactures high-end fire and rescue apparatus, has initiated a national search to find a replacement for Hall, who joined Quality Manufacturing in 1984. Hall, 61, will remain with Quality in a sales and marketing capacity, and will assist in the transition of leadership after his replacement is found.

Quality is one of three emergency vehicle manufacturers comprising Spartan Motor's Emergency Vehicle Team (EVTeam). In 2000, the EVTeam reported a 50 percent increase in orders of its custom fire trucks and ambulances. This growth has also fueled higher sales at Spartan Motors Chassis, which is now producing 40 percent more fire truck chassis each month than it did four years ago.

"We have been very pleased with the progress made at Quality under Gene's watch," said John Sztykiel, president and chief operating officer of Spartan Motors. "Unfortunately, his many hip-replacement operations have necessitated that he take a less-active role at the Company. Gene has played a significant role in growing our fire truck business, and we are pleased he will remain with Quality to guide our sales and marketing efforts."

Quality Manufacturing (http://www.qualitymfg.com/ ) engineers, manufactures and markets custom emergency vehicles, including pumper and aerial fire apparatus that are marketed through a dealer network covering North America. Quality focuses its efforts on high-end fire truck customers who desire to extend the lifecycle of their emergency vehicles by purchasing premium products.

Spartan Motors, Inc. (http://www.spartanmotors.com/ ) is a leading developer and manufacturer of custom chassis for recreational vehicles, fire trucks, ambulances and other specialty vehicles. The Company also owns fire and rescue vehicle manufacturers Luverne Fire Apparatus, Quality Manufacturing and Road Rescue, Inc.

Source: Spartan Motors, Inc.

Contact: John Gaedert of Spartan Motors, Inc., 517-543-6400; or Jeff
Lambert or Mary Ann Sabo of Lambert, Edwards & Associates, Inc., 616-233-0500,
mail@lambert-edwards.com , for Spartan Motors, Inc.

Website: http://www.qualitymfg.com/

Website: http://www.spartanmotors.com/