---
schema_version: "secwatch.filing_event.v1"
accession: "0001589526-24-000094"
form_type: "8-K"
ticker: "BLBD"
cik: "0001589526"
company_name: "Blue Bird Corp"
filed_at: "2024-09-09T23:59:59+00:00"
generated_at: "2026-05-31T05:54:16.793842+00:00"
event_type: "leadership"
sentiment: "neutral"
materiality_score: 0.6
calibrated_materiality_score: 0.6
confidence: "high"
source: SEC EDGAR
---

# Blue Bird President Britton Smith resigns; CEO Phil Horlock adds President role

## Summary
- Britton Smith resigns as President effective Sept 28, 2024, for personal reasons; also leaves Board immediately.
- CEO Phil Horlock, previously set to resign Sept 28, will now remain as President and CEO on same terms.
- Board approved severance: Fiscal 2024 cash bonus, 38 days' lump sum, 12 months salary continuation, 12 months COBRA.
- No financial impact or guidance changes disclosed; company reiterates focus on profitable growth and EV school buses.

## SEC filing metadata
- accession: 0001589526-24-000094
- form_type: 8-K
- ticker: BLBD
- cik: 0001589526
- company_name: Blue Bird Corp
- filed_at: 2024-09-09T23:59:59+00:00
- event_type: leadership
- sentiment: neutral
- materiality_score: 0.6
- calibrated_materiality_score: 0.6
- confidence: high
- sec_items: 5.02, 8.01, 9.01
- EDGAR index: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1589526/000158952624000094/0001589526-24-000094-index.htm
- EDGAR primary document: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1589526/000158952624000094/blbd-20240906.htm

## Machine-readable alternates
- HTML: https://secwatch.observer/filing/0001589526-24-000094
- JSON: https://secwatch.observer/filing/0001589526-24-000094.json
- Plain text: https://secwatch.observer/filing/0001589526-24-000094.txt

## Key facts
- Executive change
  Philip Horlock was appointed as President and Chief Executive Officer at Blue Bird Corp.
  - Action: appointed
  - Role: President and Chief Executive Officer
  source text: As a result of the event described above in subsection (b), on September 6, 2024, the Board of Directors of the Company appointed Mr. Philip Horlock, currently our Chief Executive Officer (“CEO”), as President and CEO of the Company effective September 28, 2024.
  evidence_url: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1589526/000158952624000094/0001589526-24-000094-index.htm
- Executive change
  Britton Smith resigned as Director at Blue Bird Corp.
  - Action: resigned
  - Role: Director
  source text: Mr. Smith also resigned from the Board of Directors effective immediately.
  evidence_url: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1589526/000158952624000094/0001589526-24-000094-index.htm
- Executive change
  Britton Smith resigned as President at Blue Bird Corp.
  - Action: resigned
  - Role: President
  source text: Mr. Britton Smith, currently President of Blue Bird Corporation (the “Company”), voluntarily resigned from his employment with the Company effective September 28, 2024 (the “Effective Date”), for personal reasons.
  evidence_url: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1589526/000158952624000094/0001589526-24-000094-index.htm

This AI-assisted summary is a reading aid. Review the linked SEC EDGAR filing before relying on any specific claim.