Groff Tractor & Equipment Inc. has made several promotions and new hires to its product support personnel as a response to growing customer demand.
Five employees have been promoted throughout the company, one new operations manager has been hired in order to increase customer service and retention and to work toward a one-stop business unit, according to the company.
“The continued success of Groff starts with our team approach,” Jim Shook, vice president of operations, said. “This is, and always will be, the Groff vision.”
The changes and additions in personnel made to Groff teams throughout the company are listed below, in order of seniority.
In 2003, Mel Horton began his career at Groff working out of the Bellefonte, Pa., branch. When Groff Tractor bought Cambria Tractor in 2010, he transferred to the Ebensburg, Pa., branch to lead the parts department and help Cambria Tractor employees transition to the Groff Tractor system.
In March, Horton became the Ebensburg service manager; he is in charge of the service department, which consists of two road technicians and two shop technicians.
“We have a great group of service technicians,” Horton said. “My team and I strive to make all of our customers’ needs a priority. We service their machines as quickly as possible while making sure to do it right the first time.”
Groff created an all-makes parts business group in 2010 in order to service all of its customers’ brands. “In its first year, the all-makes parts group only consisted of two parts, service and sales representatives (PSSRs) and one in-house sales person for all six branch locations,” Shook said. “However, this year, the group has grown to four PSSRs.”
Tim Walker is the new PSSR of central Pennsylvania and Lance Bucha is the new PSSR of wholegood sales and rentals of northern Pennsylvania.
Like Horton, Walker started at Groff Tractor in 2003. Recently, he became a PSSR of York, Cumberland, Perry, Juniata, Adams, Franklin, Huntington and Snyder counties, working out of the Mechanicsburg, Pa. branch. He also attained the position as a Kleemann Crusher Sales & Service Specialist this year. Walker’s main responsibility is helping customers with all of their parts, service and equipment needs, such as evaluating existing equipment to prevent future downtime and offering customers an aftermarket parts program that will reduce costs without compromising quality.
“I will use my 18 years of experience and training as a field technician at the dealer level in the construction equipment industry to provide superior customer support as a PSSR,” he said.
Lance Bucha started at Groff in 2004 and worked in parts before he was promoted to PSSR of wholegood sales and rentals this year. He works out of the Bellefonte, Pa., branch and focuses mainly on Marcellus Shale customers in Clinton County and the Northern Tier counties.
With 10 years of experience in parts, sales and service, Bucha believes he can “fulfill all of your construction equipment, parts, service and rental needs.”
“We offer a full line of geotextiles, seeds and reclamation products,” he said. “Combine this with a full line of excavation equipment and I feel there is no job too big or too small for Groff Tractor & Equipment.”
Two employees have been promoted at the Cranberry Township branch. Ryan Melcher is the new field service manager and Lee Moldovan is the new territory account manager.
Melcher has been a Groff Tractor employee since 2007 and he worked in the rental department before being promoted to field service manager. Melcher is in charge of the service department and he coordinates all field service work at Cranberry.
“My experience in the rental department will help me grow field service in Cranberry,” Melcher said. I feel qualified to listen to customers’ needs and coordinate service trucks to be where our customers need us, when they need us.”
Moldovan started at Groff in 2010 as a parts counterman. In 2011, he became a rental coordinator and he recently was promoted to territory account manager at Cranberry. Moldovan’s responsibilities include finding new business and servicing new customers such as helping them decide which machines are best for their needs.
“My current position was created so we at Groff Tractor can better service our existing customers while at the same time grow with new customers,” Moldovan said.
The newest additions to Groff Tractor are Tim Weber and Keith Grimes, operations managers at the New Stanton and Ephrata branches, respectively. They are responsible for overseeing daily parts and service activities, interacting with customers and finding new customers.
Weber is the new operations manager at the New Stanton branch. Hired as operations manager in 2011, Weber believes his “background in operations management will be an asset” as he works to attain the goals he has made for the New Stanton, Pa., location.
“I plan to grow service and parts business in our territory and build relationships with our sales staff and customer base to insure continued growth,” Weber said.
Grimes joined Groff in January at our Ephrata, Pa., location. With more than 30 years of construction experience, Grimes expects to bring a different perspective to Ephrata by using what he knows as a former customer to bring in more business and increase profitability.
“I was the customer for awhile,” Grimes said, “so I know what a customer is looking for when he or she needs repairs or parts.”
According to Shook, customers have accepted the improved Groff program and the company is experiencing great results.
“The increased success of Groff is due to our ability to provide exceptional service in all markets, from coal, to construction, to gas drilling, to mining and more,” Shook said. “We sell more than products at Groff. Our teams sell the Groff Tractor brand and the excellent customer service associated with that brand. That’s what makes the difference every day.”
Groff Tractor & Equipment Inc. has been serving Pennsylvania contractors for more than 50 years, with locations in Ephrata, State College, New Stanton, Ebensburg, Cranberry and Mechanicsburg. Groff carries Case, Wirtgen, Hamm, Vogele, Kleemann, Takeuchi, Atlas Copco, Liebherr, Wacker Neuson, AGL and Interstate.
For more information, call 717/766-7671 or visit www.grofftractor.com.
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