When a Kenworth truck is delivered thousands of miles from its origin – configured precisely for the terrain, regulations and demands of the faraway customer – there is a small, highly specialized team behind it making the complex feel seamless.
At the center of many of these efforts is Oscar Ruiz, manager of global sales for Kenworth, whose career reflects a blend of technical expertise, cultural fluency, and an unwavering commitment to customers around the world.
Oscar leads global export sales for Kenworth, working with customers across continents to spec trucks for diverse environments – from oil fields in the Middle East to highways in Puerto Rico to livestock operations in Australia. He thrives on the unique challenges each market presents and continuously pursues new opportunities in remote regions like Papua, Indonesia.
Oscar Ruiz in Indonesia
“We help customers worldwide access high-quality Kenworth trucks,” he explains. “It’s about understanding their needs – not just truck specifications, but how they will maintain their trucks and operate efficiently. We’re committed to finding the right transport solution so they can keep their businesses moving forward.”
The ability to connect solutions with real-world needs is rooted in Oscar’s own journey. He grew up in Sonora, Mexico, a region shaped by mining and long-haul trucking. His father worked in a copper mine, and from an early age, he was surrounded by heavy equipment and exposed to the important role trucks play. “I’ve always liked trucks,” he says, “They were part of my everyday life.”
Oscar Ruiz with a C540 exported to Saudi Arabia
After earning a mechanical engineering degree, Oscar began his career in construction before joining Kenworth Mexico (KenMex) 24 years ago. His first role, developing technical training materials and training sales teams on trucks specifications, laid the foundation for what would become a career defined by bridging gaps: between engineering and sales, between product capability and customer need, and between cultures and markets.
“I was a 23-year-old engineer with no sales experience,” Oscar recalls. “But I learned quickly by listening to the salesmen’s stories” Traveling across Mexico to train dealers, he gained firsthand insight into customer challenges and how technical knowledge could empower better decision making. That early exposure shaped his approach: listen carefully, communicate clearly, and follow through on commitments.
Over the years, Oscar took on roles across training, marketing, logistics and international sales, each one expanding his perspective. He supported early market research for PACCAR’s Brazil operations, helped launch DAF trucks in the Andean region and built dealer networks across Latin America. Along the way, he learned new languages: Spanish, English and Portuguese, with Arabic now in progress. Oscar believes learning his customers’ language strengthens his ability to engage and connect with them on their terms.
Today, Oscar’s work in global sales is both complex and deeply collaborative. His specialized team manages the full export process, often in markets without established dealer networks. They coordinate everything from truck specifications and compliance requirements to shipping logistics and documentation, ensuring each vehicle arrives ready to perform.
Oscar and customers with the first W990 sold in Puerto Rico
“Every country is special,” Oscar says. “Some need specific emissions standards like Euro 3 or Euro 6. Others require certain components or configurations based on terrain or application. Kenworth’s engineering teams design performance is superb, they design reliable trucks with the ability to meet those needs, and that’s the reason we’re able to serve so many markets.”
The process can involve navigating government tenders, aligning with legal and financial teams, and coordinating shipments across oceans. In some cases, it means responding to a single inquiry from a remote region and building a solution from the ground up. “We might get a call from a country where there is no dealer,” he says. “We step in, understand their operation to help them configure the right truck and coordinate with aftersales teams to support their fleets. It’s complex, but it’s rewarding.”
For Oscar, the most meaningful part of the job is seeing the impact of those efforts. “When you know that a Kenworth truck my team sold has traveled across the world and is working in another country – that truck is helping move goods and supporting communities – that feels good,” he says. “You’re part of something bigger.”
Oscar Ruiz at age 3
That perspective is shaped not only by his professional experience but also by his personal journey. Oscar and his family relocated to the United States eight years ago after decades of waiting for permanent residency. The move opened new opportunities, including his current role, while allowing him to spend more time with his wife and two children.
Family remains central to Oscar’s life. He and his wife, Sandra, a Spanish teacher, enjoy traveling, hiking and exploring new places with their children. Their shared experiences have also included unique challenges – both of their children were born with hearing impairments and received cochlear implants at a young age. Through years of therapy and support, they have thrived, and the family now helps guide and encourage other families navigating similar journeys.
“We try to support other families and let them know there is hope,” Oscar says. “That’s important to us.”
The same mindset – supporting others, building trust and following through – defines Oscar’s approach to work. He credits mentors, including his father, with instilling the importance of communication and ethics. “If there is a misunderstanding, there will be problems,” he says. “And if you are trustworthy, you can do great things for customers.”
In a role that has spanned more than 24 countries, Oscar brings a global perspective and customer-first mindset to ensure the Kenworth trucks he delivers live up to their reputation as The World’s Best.
