Photo courtesy of Milton CAT
Hank Spies
Hank Spies, Milton CAT’s longtime used gear supervisor, handed away on Feb. twenty sixth.
Mr. Spies served within the United States Army from 1968 to 1974. After proudly owning and working his personal business, H.A.S. Equipment, based mostly out of Mahwah, N.J., he joined Milton Caterpillar, then Jordan-Milton Machinery, in 1983.
During his 32-year profession at Milton CAT, Mr. Spies would turn out to be probably the most well-known people within the used gear trade.
“I attended the Florida auctions with Hank for 20 years and I might by no means recover from how many individuals Hank knew, people from Cat, counterparts from different Cat sellers, public sale firm representatives, unbiased brokers and opponents — he knew all of them by title and you possibly can see the respect that they had for him,” stated former Milton CAT Vice President Dave Perry.
Most vital to Mr. Spies was utilizing the information and expertise he amassed to assist a buyer, somebody at one other Cat dealership, or a brand new worker attempting to get their footing.
Mike Sherman, who would observe in Mr. Spies’ footsteps years later as Milton CAT used gear supervisor, spoke of assembly him for the primary time.
“Before I even began at Jordan-Milton, I rode with Hank to see if gear gross sales was one thing I used to be interested by doing. I met a really loyal buyer that day who spoke of how a lot he relied on Hank. I’ll always remember the affect that day had on me deciding to work at Milton CAT,” Sherman stated.
Russ Kisseberth, who labored for Mr. Spies at Milton CAT, additionally talked in regards to the affect that Spies had on his profession.
“The first day I labored with Hank to the final, he handled me with the utmost respect. He was a gentleman and was all the time prepared to go his information alongside to me and anybody else. I might not be the place I’m in the present day if it weren’t for him and his steerage,” Kisseberth stated.
Tim Perkins, who additionally labored for Mr. Spies for a lot of years added, “he was passionate in regards to the trade, Milton CAT and his craft.”
In calling clients over the previous few weeks to allow them to know of Mr. Spies’ passing, Kisseberth was reminded of how a lot they relied on Spies.
“They all stated the identical factor, he was the go-to man if you wanted recommendation or assist with something associated to used gear. He was all the time able to pay attention and share his ideas.”
Mr. Spies would oversee and handle the great development of the used gear business at Milton CAT. Over his 30 years, the corporate went by means of a number of giant acquisitions and territory expansions, tremendously elevated its abroad business and adopted new applied sciences, extra gross sales channels and expanded choices. It was a time of nice change and Mr. Spies had a way of find out how to adapt and thrive by means of all of it.
“In the tip, Hank actually did not must work however he needed to, and I actually benefitted from his insights as did Milton CAT,” Perry stated. “I had full belief that Hank’s actions and phrases had one of the best pursuits of the corporate in thoughts. He would inform me what he thought regardless of the implications. That is really arduous to search out in any organization and I valued that a lot.”
Fellow CAT Dealer used gear managers routinely sought out Mr. Spies’ steerage and he took nice satisfaction in doing no matter he might for them.
Bill Yurkovic, used gear supervisor at Cleveland Brothers stated “by the tip of our first lunch, I knew that I had gotten into the fitting a part of the gear business. As a young used gear supervisor, Hank took me below his wing and taught me the ropes. Over 30 years of journeys and auctions collectively he helped me to have an amazing profession at Cleveland Brothers. The one factor I got here to comprehend about him is that he reveled within the alternative to assist a fellow used gear supervisor. He was all the time keen to provide recommendation to all of the young people in regards to the business. He was almost giddy to get into these conversations.”
Yurkovic added that Mr. Spies as soon as instructed him, “It’s not the tractors, it is the individuals,” and Yurkovic added, “it is ‘these individuals’ who will tremendously miss Hank for all he did for them.”
Photo courtesy of Milton CAT
Hank Spies participated in a Northeast Caterpillar Dealer used gear assembly held in Halifax, NS, within the mid-90s.
