Guests wait their turn to take on the excavation rodeo for a top skills prize of $500. Door prizes and great raffle prizes were given out all day long.

Pine Bush Equipment lived up to its motto “Pushing Excellence” in June with two 60th anniversary parties that celebrated six decades of incredible customer service.

On June 11, in Pine Bush, N.Y., and again on June 18, in Newington, Conn., PBE held celebrations for its valued clients that included food, prizes, children's activities with crafts and games, music, and equipment demonstrations.

The company has a third location in Holmes, N.Y.

There were door prizes and a raffle where two lucky winners at each open house went home with a Kubota Z125S zero turn mower. Kubota was on display all day when adults tested their skills in an excavator rodeo for cash prizes, sponsored by the manufacturer, along with heavy iron machine demonstrations throughout the day, featuring Komatsu's Intelligent Machine Control.

Children also took the controls of a Kubota excavator, as novice operators learned how to manipulate the equipment over a skills course.

The June 18 Newington, Conn., the East Pine Bush event was packed under a perfect summer sky. More than 100 people came to enjoy a feast for the palate, the hands and the eyes.

“A lot of people worked hard to put this together, many volunteers. We are so happy that all of you came out. We know you have busy schedules and you spent that time with us and it touches my heart,” Holly Bodnar, Pine Bush Equipment's president told the assemblage as they enjoyed festivities and a noon barbecue that included cheeseburgers, hot dogs, pulled pork sandwiches, cole slaw and all the trimmings.

PBE started in 1956 when Edward “Ted” Boniface and his wife, Dorothy “Dot,” took the plunge — into this business.

“When my dad first started this business he was an excavating contractor,” said Bodnar, Ted and Dot's daughter. “He wanted a shop where he could work on his equipment. He built roads, ponds, foundations.”

When a local Case agricultural dealership on State Route 302 went up for sale, the couple took their chance.

The company grew, expanded to three locations, incorporated, adapted with the times and always with their sights set on superb customer service.

To that end, PBE recently hired Pat Plenzio as team leader in sales. “I wanted to come here because this equipment always interested me,” said Plenzio. “I love the brands they sell here and PBE stands behind everything they sell and that is what I am about — customer service.

“That's what it is all about today,” he added. “Relating with the customer and getting the job done. We sell high quality equipment, but when they do go down, customers need support and we are there for them. That is what we do best.”

Charlie Nash is in charge of warranties for that equipment. Nash has been with PBE for 40 years.

“As it is a family-owned company, this is the best company I have ever worked for. They are committed to all of their customers 100 percent,” he said.

Today, PBE serves 10 counties in southern New York and Connecticut — truly pushing excellence.

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