Tag Archives: Employee Spotlights

Employee Spotlight: Kenneth Jones

Meet Kenneth Jones, CDL Delivery Driver in Baton Rouge, LA! 

Kenneth was born and raised in Woodville, MS, “a little town just across the state line.” Seeking more career opportunities, Kenneth moved to Baton Rouge. He was an employee with RPM Services & Rentals, which Hugg & Hall acquired in 2016. After the acquisition, he chose to stay on. His favorite memory with Hugg & Hall was “seeing the first piece of new equipment roll onto the yard. I felt like business was about to take off.”

Kenneth has been a driver for more than 27 years and was always fascinated with big trucks and machines growing up. He enjoys keeping his truck in tip-top shape and receives a lot of compliments on it.

Kenneth Jones is standing next to his delivery truck, a semi cab with a trailer. He is wearing a blue uniform with yellow reflective stripes and leaning up against the open door of the semi. He is wearing sunglasses and smiling.

As a driver, Kenneth’s workday starts at 6:00 am. He said, “My duties consist of loading and unloading, delivering and picking up equipment. It’s always interesting to drive through Baton Rouge traffic.” 

Kenneth told us that he loves being a driver. He said, “I don’t really consider my job work. The people are my favorite, because I know at some point in the day someone will make me laugh. I love this company and hope to retire from it. I’m in it for the long haul.” 

Nick Duhon, Kenneth’s supervisor, said that he is “a great asset to this company. He has a can-do and a will-do attitude, and he is not averse to working late or on weekends. Even in the most challenging circumstances, he still maintains a smile on his face and is willing to assist colleagues with any challenges. Whether it is training a new driver or assisting with a difficult situation, he provides guidance.”

Outside of work, Kenneth loves spending time with his family, his three sons, and his friends. He’s a motorcyclist and fisherman in his spare time. He also loves singing in his church choir and when he’s not delivering equipment. “My coworkers may not know it, but I can carry a tune!” 

We love hearing our employee’s favorite quotes. They give us a sense of what drives them towards excellence. Kenneth’s is drawn from a Japanese proverb: “If you get knocked down seven times, get up eight.” 

Want to read more about our awesome employees? Check out our employee spotlights page! 

James Burgess Employee Spotlight: 10 Years at Hugg & Hall

As a Product Support Sales Representative (a.k.a. “PSSR”), James Burgess sells parts and labor to the customer on the job site. For many of our customers in the Fort Smith, Arkansas area, he is the face of Hugg and Hall. We had the pleasure to sit down with him as he celebrates being with us for 10 years!

1. Where were you born and raised? Where do you live now?

 

I was born and raised in Eufala, OK. When I was 22 years old, I left our home to go to college, earning my degree in Agriculture Education. I wanted to be a teacher! 

After I graduated, I realized pretty quickly that I didn’t want to teach and became a salesman instead. Along the way, I made my way out here to the Fort Smith area. 

 

2. How long have you been with Hugg & Hall? If you started in a different position, tell us how you got here!

 

Before I came to Hugg & Hall, I worked for a  business selling uniforms. One of my customers at the time was Hugg and Hall. I am a salesman through and through and I sold myself to Hugg & Hall.

Chris Shields (Vice President of Product Support) gave me an opportunity to work here and I have to say, I have got the best job in the world. I am celebrating 10 years here on April 2nd!

 

3. What does a day in the life of a PSSR look like?

 

Most days, I am on the street or talking to customer before 7:30A.M. Typically I am walking in 10-15 doors a day to speak with our customers.

My goal is to always be the first one a customer calls. Sometimes, you can get upwards of 120 calls a day, and I gladly welcome all of them.

The work definitely ebbs and flows. Some days it’s slow and others there’s not enough of you to go around! More than anything, every day I sell value of what we here at Hugg & Hall bring to the table.

 

4. The best part, or your favorite thing, about working for Hugg & Hall?

 

In 10 years of working here, I haven’t ever had a day that’s duplicated itself. It’s different every day around here. 

5. Do you have a favorite memory of your time here at Hugg & Hall?

My goodness, there are too many great moments I have had here to pick just one.

I will say this though, I love watching the process. It truly takes all of us to make the wheel turn here at Hugg & Hall. We all rely on each other and trust that each person is going to do their part all with the customer in mind. 

 

6. What do you like to do in your free time?

Woodworking! Also, I just bought 57 acres and will be doing stocker cattle.

7. What is an interesting or random fact about you people may not know?

At one time, I paid the bills as a rodeo announcer. 

8. Tell us your favorite quote and what it means to you.

“Life is on.” I’ve had to be still for a long time. I have gotten myself to where I can move and shake and I’m never gonna be still again.

What people are saying about James:

“When I first met James 10 years ago, I found out that equipment repairs were not, as James would say “his wheel house”. He went head-first into his new position wholeheartedly. He is quick to learn and knows what customer service is about. James has learned, and retained, what is needed in his job and is second to none in his performance.

He has indeed sold some unusual items over the years that are not related to equipment repairs, for instance, catchers masks for one of our poultry customers, step ladders (enough to reach the moon), pink trash cans, 800 lbs. of rock salt (snow storm for melting ice), stainless steel spaghetti colanders (to weigh chicken) and a host of other items. Our customers know if there is something they need, if anyone can supply it, James is the man to get it done.

James knows that we as a company have to make a profit, he also knows we have to be fair with the customer. He is the perfect mix of the guy in the middle in a marketplace where we are not the least expensive lift truck company in town. We are the best and I’ve heard him tell customers “There’s one thing you don’t get with the other guys, and, that’s James Burgess”.  -Holand Purifoy

 

CONGRATULATIONS ON 10 YEARS, JAMES! We appreciate you! 

To read more of our employee spotlights, check them out here! 

Employee Spotlights Archives – Hugg & Hall (hugghall.com)

Employee Spotlight: Treanaka Darensburg

Meet Treanaka Darensburg! 

Treanaka Darensburg is a Field Service Coordinator in our New Orleans/Destrehan service department and we love having her on our team. We enjoyed asking Treanaka a few questions and learning about what she likes to do away from work. 

Where were you born and raised? Where do you live now?

I was born in what is called the Westbank- Avondale, Marrero, Harvey and Gretna, Louisiana. I currently live in Reserve, LA, outside of New Orleans.

How long have you been with Hugg & Hall? 

I have been with Hugg & Hall since October 2019. I started in Accounts Payable/Receivable with Scott Equipment 15 years ago. When an Office Manager position became available on the Toyota Material Handling side I jumped at the opportunity. Once Hugg & Hall and Scott Equipment traded product lines, I became a Field Service Coordinator for Hugg & Hall. I have been in this position for the last two years.

What does a day in the life of a Field Service Coordinator look like?

I start the morning off dispatching our technicians. Then I work on opening and preparing work orders for closing and sending out to customers. I also work on Parts Cart Requests and Recommended Repair forms. My day also involves sending out quotes and handling customer calls and emails. Oh, and lets not forget about doing invoices and receivers for Bill Pay. Just to name a few!  

The best part, or your favorite thing, about working for Hugg & Hall?

The people I work with.

What do you like to do in your free time?

I like to relax and travel in my free time.

What is an interesting or random fact people may not know about you?

I used to sing in the church choir. I can’t sing at all but I loved it!

Tell us your favorite quote and what it means to you.

“No One Owes You Anything”. People tend to think that others owe you something. I feel that anything you do should be done from your heart. Everything you get, you should work for and earn. So instead of feeling owed, you would feel satisfied and content knowing what you accomplished.

To get to know some of our other coworkers, visit our past employee spotlights!

2023 Update: Treanaka has been promoted to Parts Operation Manager! We can’t wait to see what her future with Hugg & Hall holds!

Employee Spotlight: Rental Sales Manager, Conner Tujague

 

As the Hugg & Hall Broussard Rental Sales Manager, Conner Tujague helps his team with everything from making the sale to finding the equipment the customer needs. We got in touch with him to learn a little bit more about his role and his favorite things about working for Hugg & Hall. 

Where is your hometown?

I grew up in the small town of Eunice, LA where rice and crawfish farming is the way of life for most citizens.  

How long have you been at Hugg & Hall?

I have been with Hugg & Hall for a little over two years.

What is your favorite thing about working for Hugg & Hall?

My favorite thing about working at Hugg & Hall is the culture. You have the freedom to choose your work style, which brings out the best in you.

Do you have a favorite memory of your time here at Hugg & Hall?

One of my favorite memories here at Hugg & Hall is when I took a trip to Miami for The Natural Disasters Expo. I learned a lot about natural disaster needs. Free time allowed me to go site seeing as this was the first time I traveled to Miami.

Tell us a little bit about what a day in the life of a Rental Sales Manager looks like.

As a Rental Sales Manager, I receive a lot of calls needing assistance from my sales team. I don’t mind though because I truly like helping people out. A lot of this involves helping my team close on deals and find new opportunities.

What is something that people you work with may not know about you?

I like to play competitive sports. Tennis is my favorite and I played it throughout my childhood and into high school. It’s hard to have time to play now with family and work taking up most of my free time but I plan on teaching my kids when they are older. I tried introducing them to the game, but they end up playing on the playground.

Tell us your favorite quote and what it means to you.

My favorite quote is “No Pain, No Gain”. I believe nothing great in life comes easy. You must work hard and go through trials and tribulations to achieve greatness. Nobody has ever said the journey to the top of the mountain was easy, but there is a lot of lessons to learn on the way up and you will appreciate the top that much more. 

What do you enjoy doing outside of work?

First and foremost, I don’t consider Hugg & Hall being work. I was always told to find something you love to do, and you will never work a day in your life. I truly enjoy my time at Hugg & Hall. Besides my time at Hugg & Hall, I spend it with my family. I am married to my high school sweetheart who which we have three daughters and a baby on the way (Praying for BOY). My daughters love to spend their time outside. Whether it be swinging and riding bikes or swimming at our neighborhood pool.

To contact our rental department or find out more about what equipment we have available for rent, go to our RENTAL PAGE.

 

 

Employee Spotlight: Rhonda Griffith

Meet Rhonda Griffith!  Rhonda has been with Hugg & Hall for 20 years and works as our Accounts Payable Manager at the company’s corporate location in Little Rock, AR. 

Griffith is from and currently resides in Carlisle, AR but spent most of her life in Hazen, AR. She is happily married to her high school sweetheart, Marty and they will celebrate 36 years in May.

They have two children, Ashley and Martin.  Ashley and her husband Kyler live in Cabot, AR where Ashley is a family nurse practitioner. Martin and his wife Courtney live in Little Rock, AR but travel a lot since Martin is a welder and inspector for 798 pipe liners.

In December, Martin and Courtney welcomed Griffith’s first grandchild, Katelynn. Griffith stated, “We are so excited to be Gigi and Pop!”.

Griffith enjoys family time, being outdoors, and has a “green thumb”. She loves planting and watching her flowers grow. In the summer, you can find her relaxing by the pool. Something you might be surprised to learn about Griffith is she was crowned Rodeo Queen and spent most of her childhood on a horse and traveling to horse shows and rodeos.

Griffith says a typical workday is “Crazy, but I love it. Lots of invoices, interruptions, and lots of money being spent”. Her daily job duties include managing a “great group of employees, along with vendor invoices and check disbursements, all the while maintaining a strict schedule to keep us on good terms with vendors”. Each month includes 8000+ invoices to process for payment, fuel cards for over 350 company vehicles and corporate credit cards to maintain. All this keeps Griffith and her team very busy. “I love what I do, but it’s not just the job, it’s the people…I love my Hugg & Hall family!” Griffith stated.

We are thankful for Griffith’s years of dedicated and loyal service.

We enjoy sitting down to talk with our fellow employees! Visit our website for more employee spotlights!

Editor’s Note: This post was originally published in April 2020. We updated it for freshness, accuracy, and comprehensiveness in February 2023.

Employee Excellence: Brandon Brantley

“There are employees that work hard daily who may not get an “atta-boy”, “great job” or an “I appreciate you”. I wanted to make sure Brandon Brantley knew we appreciated him and that he did a great job.” – Justin Hines, Nexans AmerCable

Hugg & Hall Equipment Company has a quality standard that is beyond many other companies; Brandon Brantley has gone above the standard of excellence to best serve clients in our El Dorado, AR location.

Brantley works as a delivery driver for Hugg & Hall and started with the company a month ago. He conducts day runs between Hugg & Hall locations, as well as deliveries to customers. In his short time with the company, he has made a significant impact in the delivery division. Brandon said that his favorite thing about being a driver for Hugg & Hall is, “interacting with the customers.”

Brandon’s hometown is Farmerville, Louisiana where he currently resides with his wife Nikki. He has his hands full with a son, Logan, daughters Macayla and Karlee, and a granddaughter Paisley-Brooke. He enjoys spending time with his family and has a passion for horses & equipment. You may also be surprised to know that he is afraid of heights.

In his first few weeks, Brandon has noted that every day is memorable. If he weren’t currently working for Hugg & Hall, Brantley mentioned he would like to operate equipment. He thinks it is important for others in the profession to, “Never take safety for granted.”

Hugg & Hall would like to thank Brandon Brantley for his hard work; welcome to the team Brandon! To create your own story with our team, visit our hiring website.

Donald Strassle Retires After 31 Years of Dedicated Service

After 31 years of dedicated service to Hugg & Hall Equipment Company (Hugg & Hall), Donald Strassle, Heavy Equipment Road Technician at the Little Rock, Ark. branch, has officially retired.

While employed as a technician at Hugg & Hall, Donald repaired and took care of heavy equipment. He is very experienced in Detroit engine repairs, and enjoys repairing Euclid trucks. As his career progressed, Donald became very skilled at repairing Volvo and Bobcat equipment.  

John McKenzie, Service Manager at the Hugg & Hall Little Rock branch, attested to Strassle’s character and hard work.

“When we hired new employees I would always tell them, when Donald starts talking about his cows (yes Donald raised cows as a hobby) make sure you pay attention because he is not talking about his cows he is talking about the “job”.  Donald had a way to have a story attached to his “cows” that related to every repair job, he was funny like that.” 

John McKenzie also spoke about how Strassle’s colleagues will not only miss his many contributions to the company but will mostly miss his fun spirit.

“Over the years we all learned something from Donald. Donald was one of the first technicians that I worked with and he had a way to “break in”  new employees. When I started, I was brand new to Hugg & Hall and heavy equipment repair. He put me in a hole in this very large loader and dropped oil on me all day just to show me how dirty the job could be—he laughed about this to the day he retired, which I did too!  Donald will be missed and we will talk about the stories and experiences we shared with him during his time at Hugg & Hall Equipment.”

The entire Hugg & Hall team would like to thank Donald Strassle for his hard work, dedication and contributions throughout his time with the company and wishes him the very best of retirement!

Danny Harvey Receives Joseph M. Kaplan Safe Driver of the Year Award

Danny Harvey, accepting the Joseph M. Kaplan Safe Driver of the Year Award

Congratulations Danny Harvey!

Danny, a night delivery driver at Hugg & Hall Equipment Company (Hugg & Hall), recently achieved a major milestone in his driving career: one million accident free miles over the road. But his many achievements did not stop there, he was then nominated by Hugg & Hall Equipment Co. to receive the Joseph M. Kaplan Award, for Safe Driver of the Year through the National Safety Council, and he won!

This exclusive award, is received by the 10 Regional Best winners of the year. The awards are then presented at the National Awards Celebration, held in conjunction with the annual Congress & Expo. The acknowledgment is in recognition of an outstanding achievement and long service in the driving occupation, while focusing on safety and security. 

The exemplary activities, and promotion of education, that have lead Danny to the Joseph M. Kaplan Award, are nothing less than commendable. The Hugg & Hall family would like to send out a huge thank you to Danny for excelling in his position, and for his commitment to safe driving! We are lucky to have you!

If you’re interested in learning more about Danny and his accomplishments , see our blog Danny Harvey Achieves One Million Accident-Free Miles.

Employee Spotlight: Spencer Hale

Say hello to Spencer Hale!

Spencer works as the Utility Services Divisional Manager for Hugg & Hall and has been with the company for 10 years! In his position as Utility Services Divisional Manager he plays a key role in being reactive when customers are presented with unexpected downtime caused by utility issues. In addition to his duties onshore, Spencer works with operations in the gulf to assure they receive adequate utility services that will withstand the harsh sea spray.

There is a great passion behind Spencer’s work, he takes pride in getting customers out of a bind and creating excelled customer satisfaction. When speaking with him he said, “It’s great when you can turn potential customers into great personal relationships!”

Spencer’s hometown and current residence is Springdale, AR, but he has lived in several states due to his previous 15-year employment with Walmart as a Project Manager.  Spencer’s current role, at Hugg & Hall, can change day to day, “Each day is different,” he said, “You never know what the day will bring.   You can try and plan your day out and inevitably, it will change.” In his world it is important to understand the difference in maintaining units that are both on and off-shore to keep customers happy.

At home Spencer has his hands full with 2 sons, Bryar & Ledger. He enjoys camping, hunting & fishing, but spends much of his time cycling in Northwest Arkansas; whether road, gravel or mountain biking. When asked, Spencer said that cycling is what, “tends to keep him sane.”

In his years at Hugg & Hall, there have been many great memories made, but what Spencer has enjoyed most is the team being presented with Allied Member of the Year 2019 and the company’s tenure, “I love that this company has longevity.  It is very common to see people that have been here 20, 25, 30 years.”

Spencer is grateful for the accessibility to listen, speak to & take suggestions from a VP or owner at any time. Hugg & Hall would like to send out a huge thank you to Spencer Hale for his hard work and dedication throughout his 10 years of service.

Employee Spotlight: Ricky Nelson

Three cheers to 35 years!

Meet Ricky Nelson! Nelson is a Shop Service Technician in our Springdale, Arkansas location and is celebrating 35 years with Hugg & Hall.

Nelson is a local and grew up in Lowell and attended VoTech before starting his career with Hugg & Hall; he continues to live in the area with his wife and stepdaughter. Ricky enjoys the role he plays as a Shop Service Technician, as it includes something different to work on each day.

When asked, Nelson said his favorite thing about working for Hugg & Hall is the good people and the friends he has made throughout his years at the company. The friends Ricky has made here have lead to many great memories, like racing dirt track with Frank Reeves and Roy Clark. In his free time Nelson enjoys spending time with his wife while riding his motorcycle, camping, fishing and going to flea markets & auctions.

Nelson’s passions include keeping his yard maintained like a golf course, spending time with his wife & working for Hugg & Hall. Ricky thinks his coworkers may be surprised that years ago he was on a Hugg & Hall bowling league that placed second for the season!

Ricky has enjoyed his years of service at Hugg & Hall and said that he would, “like to work at Hugg & Hall 50 years,” before he retires. When asked if there was anything he would like to leave us with, Ricky reminded us that you can never have too many tools.

The company sends a huge thank you to Ricky Nelson for his hard work and years of dedication and service over the last 35 years.