Ring Power Corporation News

Ring Power Corporation has signed an agreement to represent Towmaster Trailers through its Heavy Equipment and Cat Rental Store divisions.

Towmaster manufactures nine- to 20-ton Tag Trailers, 20- to 50-ton Tilt Trailers, and 70- to 120-ton Detachable Gooseneck Trailers, designed for hauling construction and rental equipment and built to withstand years of heavy use.

Headquartered in Litchfield, Minn., Towmaster Inc. has been manufacturing trailers since the early 1970s and is well respected for the quality of their products. For more information on Towmaster trailers, click here.

On June 5, Niels Akkerman, John Hugo and John Harrison graduated from the Think Big Program.

The two-year, hands-on service technician scholarship program is offered by Ring Power and five other Southeast Cat dealers in partnership with South Georgia Technical College in Americus, Ga. Akkerman, Hugo and Harrison were the 12th group to graduate from the program since its launch in 2000.

Akkerman, an honor graduate, was inspired to get into the program after attending Construction Career Days as a high school student in Orlando. Construction Career Days, a hands-on event Ring Power’s training department participates in every year, introduces students to the wide range of career opportunities available in the construction industry. Akkerman is now a Heavy Equipment Service Tech based at Ring Power’s Orlando branch. Hugo and Harrison are both working as Heavy Equipment Service Techs in St. Augustine.

As group 12 finishes their Think Big journey, Group 14 is just getting started. Thomas 'Cody' Mitchko, Patrick Fortunato, Austin DuBois, Kyle Schumacher and Cameron Lankford make up the class of 2016.  A “signing day” was held for them at Ring Power’s corporate headquarters in St. Augustine on June 30, marking the official start of their Think Big journey. Over the next two years, the students will rotate in eight-week intervals between classroom instruction at South Georgia Technical College and hands-on training at Ring Power.

Mitchko, DuBois, Schumacher and Lankford will intern in St. Augustine under Jason Bickerstaff. Fortunato will intern in Tallahassee under George Long.

Kevin Robbins

David Alban

Sue Miller

Ed Sanford

Ring Power Corporation Chairman and President Randal L. Ringhaver has announced the following management level organizational changes:

• Senior Vice President Kevin Robbins has been appointed Executive Vice President of Sales. In addition to overseeing The Cat Rental Store, Heavy Equipment Rental, Crane, Lift Trucks, and Transportation divisions, Robbins’ responsibilities now include Heavy Equipment New and Used Sales and Power Systems Division Sales.

• Executive Vice President David Alban has added responsibility for Power Systems Division Service to his other responsibilities, which include Heavy Equipment Product Support Sales and Service, Phoenix Products, Purchasing, Training, Human Resources, and Facilities

• Senior Vice President Sue Miller has been charged with advancing Public Relations throughout Ring Power territory and will continue to oversee all promotional activities as Senior Vice President of Marketing. Her new title will be Senior Vice President of Marketing & Public Relations Director. 

• Ed Sanford, Human Resources Manager, has been nominated to the office of Vice President.

These changes are being made at the management level to better align the company for continued growth and development of the next generation of managers in their respective divisions.

In June, "Find A Way: Dream Traxx,” won a 2014 Bronze Telly Award. This is quite an honor for Caterpillar, Ring Power and the customer, as the Telly Awards recognize the very best in film and video production, online videos, programs and commercials, and local, regional, and cable TV commercials and programs. More than 12,000 entries from all over the world were in the running for an award this year. 

Simantel, a creative agency based in Peoria, Ill., collaborated with Rihg Power's SVP Marketing & Public Relations Director Sue Miller, Tampa Cat Rental Store Account Manager Greg Brill and Caterpillar to develop a short documentary-style video showcasing Dream Traxx – one of Greg’s customers – a company that builds top-quality, professional dirt bike tracks. The production tells a visually exciting story about an enduring relationship between the customer and Ring Power, including dramatic footage of motocross action shot from the ground and from the air using drone cameras.

The video is part of a series showcasing how Cat dealers partner with customers to help them succeed. To see the video, visit www.CatAllDay.com/FindAWay. 

Congrats to Jason Harley (Assistant Parts Manager) and Mike Furlough (Territorial Parts Operations Manager) on receiving the Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve (ESGR) Patriot Award. Both were nominated for the award by Jared Feagin (Parts Warehouse Person) and a Specialist in the Army Reserve.

“Mr. Furlough has been the most patient and supportive supervisors I have had the pleasure of working for,” Jared wrote in his nomination. “Not once has Mr. Furlough questioned anything I had go on with my military service. I am proud to be an employee of his and Ring Power.”

Commenting on Jason, Jared wrote “Mr. Harley has not only become an acquaintance but has been so supportive of my military career. Mr. Harley has always shown his appreciation for my service to the USA. I couldn’t have asked for a better supervisor.”

“Thanks to Jared for the nomination,” Mike said. “He has been a valued employee here at Ring Power and will have a bright future with us, upon his safe return.”

Ring Power Corporation, North and Central Florida’s Cat® dealer, has been named one of  North Florida’s “Best Places to Work” by the Jacksonville Business Journal.

“It’s an honor to be recognized by the Jacksonville Business Journal and our employees as one of North Florida’s “Best Places to Work,” said Sue Miller, Senior Vice President of Marketing. “Our company values — Integrity, Commitment, Excellence and Teamwork — are not just words. They are a part of our company’s culture and demonstrated by the actions of our employee’s on a daily basis.”

Ring Power ranked Number 1 in the “Best Places to Work” extra-large category based on an employee survey conducted by Quantum Workplace, an independent research firm. The survey took into account factors such as leadership, culture, benefits and employee morale.

About Ring Power Corporation

Ring Power Corporation, North and Central Florida’s Cat® dealer, is headquartered in St. Augustine, Florida. Ring Power is comprised of eight divisions and has more than 50 years of experience servicing and supporting Cat® products and allied equipment. For more information, visit www.ringpower.com

Certification of personnel has become the hallmark of many industries in the U.S. today for one simple reason: It helps advance professionalism by establishing consistent standards for proficiency. 

As part of its commitment to the on-site power industry, EGSA (Electrical Generating Systems Association) has created the Electrical Generator Systems Technician Certification program.

Through rigorous testing, the program identifies those technicians who not only have a broad knowledge of electricity, mechanical and electrical components and the interaction between them, but also are proficient in the installation, service, maintenance, and repair of on-site power generation systems.

Ring Power recognizes the significance of this certification. Last month, 22 Power Systems technicians took the grueling, four-hour test on electric power generation and power systems. EGSA offers classes to help prepare applicants for the test, but — thanks to their many years of experience — our techs passed it without taking the classes.

Ring Power Crane Parts Operations Manager Jeff McMath recently hosted a combined Crane Care Parts training class in St. Augustine. Darious Wenger, senior training instructor for Manitowoc CraneCare in Shady Grove, Pa., administered the training.

This marked the first time that Ring Power Crane conducted parts training on the Grove, GMK, and Manitowoc product lines during the same class. Course material included a history of all three brands, parts manual exercises, component identification and the use of Manitowoc Crane Care's online product support systems.

Including parts counter and product support personnel, nine Ring Power Crane employees attended the training. The excellent turnout demonstrates the division’s ongoing commitment to providing the best possible customer support to owners of Manitowoc Crane Group products.

Ring Power Corporation Chairman and President Randal L. Ringhaver has appointed Patrick W. O'Brien to Ring Power Corporation's Board of Directors. His title is now Senior Vice President – Director of Product Support/HE Division.

O’Brien began his career with Ring Power in October 1981 as a Product Support Sales Representative in the Lift Truck Division before transferring to Used Heavy Equipment Sales. Since then he has held several positions at Ring Power. These include New Equipment Salesperson from 1982 through 1987, Assistant Sales Manager, New Equipment from 1988 through 1994, Ocala Branch Sales Manager from 1995 through 1997, Assistant Sales Manager in 1998 and North Florida Regional Sales Manager in 2004. In December 2013 he was named SVP, Product Support. 

“During my 30 plus years working at Ring Power it is obvious that the hard work and dedication of all the employees is what consistently provides our valued customers with the excellent service they have come to expect and deserve,” O’Brien said. “I am extremely proud to be a part of such a great team and I look forward to working more closely with the board members in my new assignment."

Ring Power SVP/Director of New Sales Tim Maguire has announced the promotion of Chris Zeras to VP South Florida Regional Sales Manager/ HE Division. 

Zeras, who attended Florida State University, joined Ring Power in 1998 as a sales coordinator with The Cat Rental Store division in Orlando. Six months later, he was promoted to CRS account manager and transferred to Daytona, where he focused on expanding the division’s customer base and increasing revenues. In 2001 Zeras returned to Orlando, where he continued as an account manager for The Cat Rental Store until 2007, when he was named heavy equipment sales representatives for Orange and Seminole counties.

In 2011, Zeras was promoted to his most recent position as Orlando Regional Sales Manager.

In his 16 years with Ring Power, Zeras has earned numerous sales awards, including Central Florida Top Rental Producer in 2003, Account Manager of the year in 2005, and Top Revenue Producer in 2006.

Zeras welcomes the challenges of his new position. As Regional Sales Manager, Zeras will oversee operations at all locations in Ring Power’s south territory. He will continue to be based in Orlando.

“I’m excited to take on this additional responsibility and look forward to working with our entire south territory team,” Zeras said.