Customer Appreciation Week Spotlight: The People Who Make It All Work

Behind every thriving dealership are the people who show up every day: the technicians who diagnose complex issues, the parts counter staff who track down hard-to-find components, the service advisors who turn frustrated customers into loyal ones, and the yard operators who keep inventory flowing. These are the employees who don’t just do their jobs. They elevate them. 

That’s why, for Customer Appreciation Week, we asked our customers to tell us about the people who make their businesses run. We wanted to shine a spotlight not on technology or processes, but on the individuals whose dedication, problem-solving, and attitude make all the difference. 
 
The response was overwhelming. Managers nominated their rising stars. Colleagues advocated for teammates who quietly carry the load. Owners wrote about employees who’ve been with them for decades, and those who made an immediate impact in their first year. What emerged from these nominations wasn’t just a list of hardworking people. It was a collection of stories about what it means to truly care about your work and the people around you. 
 
Recognizing employees matters. It reinforces the behaviors and attitudes that strengthen your culture. It signals to your team that their contributions are seen and valued. And in an industry where skilled, dedicated people are your greatest competitive advantage, celebration isn’t just nice to have. It’s essential. 

The nominations below showcase employees across every role and experience level, all united by one thing: they make their dealerships better. These are their stories, in the words of the people who see their impact every day. 
 
Chris Gomez, Business Support Rep at Medley Equipment Company, was nominated for his outstanding acceptance, engagement and ownership of the CRM in the field.

“Chris has done a great job out in the field using the CRM. He has shown outstanding acceptance, engagement and ownership of the software.”

Cassandra Murray, ERP Specialist at Burns Industrial Equipment, was nominated for making their Vital Edge/E-Emphasys implementation extremely smooth and helping employees across all locations and departments become more proficient in their roles.

“Cassie, started our Vital Edge / E-Emphasys implementation as our Project Coordinator in June of 2023 and made our transition extremely smooth when we went live in March of 2024. Since then, she has taken on the role of ERP Specialist and continues to help all of our employees at each of our locations, across all departments, become more proficient in each of their roles which ultimately benefits all of our customers with improved customer service, driving sales and profitability.”

Gilbert Dias, Accounting Manager at Amaco Construction Equipment, was nominated for his tremendous heavy lifting during ERP cutover, working evenings and weekends while also hiring and training new staff and going above and beyond to help the entire team.

“Gilbert did a tremendous amount of heavy lifting as Amaco worked towards ERP cutover. He would work all day to ensure material provided was accurate. Then worked evenings and weekends to ensure his daily, weekly and monthly tasks were completed. While doing this we were also short a staff member in the accounting department. Gilbert also found time to make a great hire, provide training and set our new-hire up for a contributing career. Last, Gilbert goes above and beyond to help the entire team. By far the coolest accountant I have ever had the pleasure of working with.”

Vincent Pâquet, Parts SME at Terapro, was nominated for being a patient mentor, collaborative trainer, and trusted expert who empowers employees and elevates performance.

“Patient mentor. Collaborative trainer. Trusted Parts SME. When the Parts world gets complex, we call Vincent. Empowering employees, elevating performance — that’s Vincent. Parts SME by title. Team accelerator by impact. Quiet excellence. Big results. Thank you, Vincent”

Stéphane Campeau, ERP Administrator at Terapro, was nominated for being the calm in every storm, always ready to lend a hand, and setting the tone for systems excellence.

“Always calm, always ready! Stéphane is our ERP rock at Terapro — thoughtful, composed, and never afraid to challenge ideas for the better. A true example of curiosity, knowledge and teamwork! No panic, no stress — just Stéphane doing what he does best- the calm in every storm and always willing to lend a hand! When challenges pop up, Stéphane stays cool, focused, and on point. He’s not just part of the team — he sets the tone for systems excellence!”

Larry Patrick, Service Technician at Redline Equipment, was nominated for being a silent leader in their service organization who can seemingly fix anything.

“Larry is a silent leader in our service organization. There is seemingly nothing that he cannot fix.”

Kylie Mattraw, IT Coordinator at Redline Equipment, was nominated for providing excellent IT support with professionalism and a positive attitude, making her a true backbone of the organization.

“Kylie provides excellent IT support and completes any task with professionalism and a positive attitude, even if not familiar with the system or situation. She is truly a backbone in our organization.”

Danielle Eisel, Sales Operations Manager at Redline Equipment, was nominated for her key role in the success of their equipment operations department with super-attentive attention to detail, diligence, and friendliness even in stressful situations.

“Danielle’s work is key to the success of Redline’s equipment operations department. She is super-attentive to detail, diligent and friendly, even in stressful situations.”