Scout Motors Inc.’s Post

It is with deep sadness that I say goodbye to an admired leader, valued partner, and dear friend who has left a lasting impact - our beloved Chief Production Officer, Dr. Jan Spies - who passed away after a courageous battle with cancer. Even before he officially joined as Chief Production Officer, Jan was an early member of our Scout Motors team, injecting his heart and soul into our company with a clear and ambitious vision for our future. Jan laid the foundation for our Production Center in Blythewood, creating thoughtful and meticulous plans that will guide us for years to come. He was a get-stuff-done kind of leader who embraced ambitious timelines and had an extreme drive. Jan’s impact, however, went far beyond his credentials and work achievements. He embodied the Scout Way from day one. Jan cared deeply for the Scout Motors community, Richland County (of which he was a proud resident), and most importantly, his family.   So many of us have wonderful stories and memories of Jan. A few that stand out for me are the joy he felt representing our company in the community and driving an original Scout vehicle home from the Blythewood Rodeo, the excitement he felt bringing the team and our little red fire truck together during the Fireflies holiday lights celebration. And I’ll always remember the satisfaction and pride on his face as we locked in the historical brick at our Production Center groundbreaking ceremony.   There are countless stories, but to really understand the impact Jan had, you don’t have to look much further than this touching note from Georgia Mjartan, a local resident, after her and her son's interaction with Jan at our Connection Center: “Our eight-year-old son, Jozef, dreams of building cars. He’s read every book in our local library about cars. He draws pictures of cars. He loves making cars with Legos - new designs from his mind. So you can imagine his awe when Dr. Jan Spies, the energized and brilliant engineer building and overseeing Scout Motors, spent the better part of an hour with Jozef. Dr. Spies showed him the models of the campus he designed in Blythewood, SC where 4,000 people will work, building Scout electric vehicles. As we left, Jozef turned to me with the biggest smile on his face and said, ‘Mom! I 100% know what I want to do now!’ Planning the steps of his career, he asked ‘Is 14 old enough to do an internship at Scout?’”   Jan’s contributions have laid the foundation for everything we’ve accomplished so far and everything we’ll continue to build in the future. His legacy is part of our DNA, and we’ll carry it forward together.