The Ward Family has a long history with the trucking industry spanning five decades. Upon completion of his active duty with the U.S. Army Reserve in 1969, Bill Ward went to work for the International Harvester Co. (now International). In 1985, he moved his family to Mobile, where he partnered with International for a dealership and eventually acquired sole ownership. In 1986, we extended the boundaries of our operation to include a dealership in Pensacola, Florida, and in 2003 acquired a third dealership in Tallahassee, Florida. Ward International now proudly serves customers along the Gulf Coast from the Mississippi-Louisiana state line through Alabama’s Gulf Coast and the Florida Panhandle, all the way to I-75.
Bill’s daughter, Leigh Breal, began working at Ward International in 1995. Throughout the years she has worked her way up and became Dealer Principal in 2013. Ward International has won numerous accolades, including Truck Dealer of the Year in 2001 by the American Truck Dealers, a division of the NADA. In 2010, the Alabama Trucking Association elected Bill Ward Vice Chairman with responsibilities that included spearheading fundraising and planning efforts for the group’s 2010 convention. That began a seven-year term as an ATA Officer, including serving as Chairman of the Board in 2011. Since then, he has continued to serve as its Policy and Finance Committee Chairman, Chairman of the Nominating Committee, and as a member-at-large for the Policy and Finance Committee. The Alabama Trucking Association honored Bill Ward with its 2017 H. Chester Webb Award for outstanding service and commitment to Alabama’s trucking industry. In May of 2025, Ward International Trucks proudly celebrated 40 years serving the Gulf Coast!