(Blacksburg, Va. — March 25, 2021) When revolutionary technology goes mainstream, it changes not only how we work and live, but also how the participating companies operate. Torc Robotics, working with Daimler Trucks to commercialize self-driving trucks, has chosen to manage that change early and has tapped Eddie Amos as its Chief Transformation Officer.
Amos’s leadership experience ranges from introducing early spreadsheet technology, groupware and web services, to the recent industrial internet of things. His role, he says, is to “translate the lessons learned in 35 years of software disruption into best practices for commercializing self-driving trucks.”
Amos joins Torc as a member of Torc’s executive team. “Eddie has already built a strong rapport with our broader leadership team and has provided many valuable insights as we transform from a service to product-focused organization, says Torc CEO Michael Fleming. “I am confident he will help us leverage our innovative processes and passion while we focus on the reliability and consistency necessary for a successful, commercial self-driving truck.”
Amos brings more than 35 years of leadership experience in revolutionary software technologies, ranging from startups to some of the world’s largest companies. During 10 years at Microsoft, Amos served variously as General Manager of Visual Studio, Developer Evangelism, and Partner Enablement, and developed strategies to drive adoption of .NET, C++, and AZURE. He then served as Vice President of Software and Developer Evangelism at Juniper, driving design and delivery of Internet of Things networking and connectivity solutions. His work as Chief Technology Officer and Senior Vice President of Engineering and Product helped grow startup Meridium into a sector leader in asset performance management. When Meridium was acquired by GE Digital, he served as Chief Technology Officer and led successful integration of both teams. Amos was later made a Corporate Officer at GE and named Sr. Vice President of Digital Engineering. Former colleagues cite his passion, vision, clarity and focus on what matters as keys to the success of his teams.
“I’m excited to bring new perspectives to the Torc team,” says Amos. “My role, in many ways, is taking the best of what I’ve learned so far in my career and putting that into practice to allow us to run more efficiently and faster while taking the opportunities in front of us.”
According to Amos, he thrives when he can work with incredibly smart people to build strong teams. “I want the spotlight on the customer and the team. When you take the focus off the team and the mission, people get distracted. “We know what true north is and it’s all-hands-on-deck to get there. Torc has assembled one of the most talented teams that I’ve had the privilege to work with in my career to get us across the finish line.”
The passion and cohesion on the Torc team induced Amos to come out of an early retirement to join the company. “The Torc team is one of the smartest sets of people I’ve ever worked with in my life,” says Amos. “The world’s going to be amazed at what this group of individuals is going to do.”
Amos’s interests include business mentoring, with an eye for combining community outreach and technology education initiatives, found purchase in the New River and Roanoke Valleys’ business community.
Since 2019, Amos has been a member of the Go Virginia board, helping with their efforts to bring more high-tech jobs to the Roanoke and New River Valleys. He’s also on the boards of the Roanoke Higher Education Center and the Virginia Innovation Council, working to foster the regional start-up community.
About Torc Robotics
Torc Robotics, headquartered in Blacksburg, Virginia, is an independent subsidiary of Daimler Truck AG, the global leader and pioneer in trucking. Founded in 2005 at the birth of the self-driving vehicle revolution, Torc has 16 years of experience in pioneering safety-critical, self-driving applications. Torc offers a complete self-driving vehicle software and integration solution and is currently focusing on commercializing self-driving trucks. “Trucking is the backbone of the U.S. economy, delivering food and products to every community in the country,” said Torc CEO Michael Fleming. “Daimler has led innovation in trucking for more than a century, from the first truck to driver assist technology. Torc is working with Daimler Trucks to commercialize self-driving trucks to make our roads safer and better fulfilling our mission of saving lives.”