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The equipment dealership founded in 1962 by James “Jumbo”Elliott and Harry Frantz was predicated on a philosophy of cus-tomer service. Fifty years later, many things about the equipmentand the construction industry have changed, but a couple thingshaven’t: Elliott & Frantz Inc. continues to provide quality prod-ucts and exemplary service.

“It has always been about the customers,” said James M.Elliott, CEO of Elliott & Frantz. “My father [James “Jumbo”Elliott ] and Harry Frantz started with that philosophy and

we’ve stayed true to their founding principles.“There is no way a company can remain suc-

cessful and continue to be in business, especial-ly for 50 years, if the customer isn’t alwaysright. Here, the customer is always right and thatwill continue for the next 50 years of Elliott &Frantz.”

Many Elliott & Frantz customers have beenwith the company since the start because of thatphilosophy. As Vice President of MarketingCatherine Elliott said, while the way in whichtechnicians do their jobs has changed since the1960s, with computers and software playingcritical roles today, the way Elliott & Frantzdoes business hasn’t.

“It’s about relationships,” she said. “Peoplevalue honesty and integrity in our industry. Ithink it’s a traditional industry. People in thisindustry value friendship and honest conversa-tions maybe more than in other industries.”

“The success or failure of any business is itsemployees and its leadership from the uppermanagement,” said James Elliott. “This startsfrom the moment someone comes in to inter-view for a position at Elliott & Frantz. If we seeany hesitancy from a prospective employeeabout adhering to our business philosophy, theydon’t work here; it’s as simple as that.”

Honest conversations are the foundation ofdeveloping long-lasting relationships with cus-tomers, but those relationships begin with firstimpressions.

“You have a shot at someone and you eithermake the right impression or the wrong one,”said Sally Englehart, service manager. “We try

to make the right impression and hold on to customers. That’sbasically what customer service is: not letting them go. That’s themost important part, because once they’re gone, it is so hard to getthem back. This is a tough industry because competition is fierce.Each customer has different needs, so it’s about meeting thoseneeds and keeping them happy.”

Keeping customers happy requires service with a personaltouch.

Elliott & Frantz Celebrates 50 Years in Business

(L-R): Bob Schaeffer, president; Jim Elliott, CEO; and Bill McLoughlin, vice pres-ident, all of Elliott & Frantz, have been leading the company for many of its 50years in business.

3

“We go the extra step and give a more personal service than thebig companies do,” said Joe McGlinchey, parts manager of Elliott& Frantz for 25 years. He believes that, as a company, they arepersonable. It may be that working for a “small” family-ownedcompany creates a relaxed atmosphere that engenders anambiance of approachability, or it might be that the genuine inter-est and selfless concern of Elliott & Frantz employees contributesto sincere relationships with their customers. “We try to develop a relationship with the people we deal

with,” McGlinchey added.They’re not only customers, explained Pete Schaeffer, sales

manager at Elliott & Frantz’s Jessup, Md., branch, they’re friends. “I go to their houses for dinner. I know their wives and kids. I

go to their little league games. Sometimes it feels like they’re more than friends. “Most of our customers say we treat them like family,” said Ted

Kushner, parts manager at the Jessup, Md., branch. “We like tojoke around with our customers. We keep it light.” The tone may be affable, but he’s quick to note that their num-

ber one goal is to service the customer as quickly as possible, withthe highest quality of professionalism.“It’s real easy to say you’re in the customer service business,

but it’s not nearly as easy to prove it,” added James Elliott. “Fiftyyears in business proves it. Hard work, long hours and mostimportant, listening is what gets a company to a half-century inbusiness. Not nearly enough do people listen well. We do; in fact,

it’s a job requirement at Elliott & Frantz.”Serving customers quickly starts with the

phone, which is always answered by a person,not an automated system. “All of our branches have someone there to

pick up the phone,” said Bob Schaeffer, presi-dent of Elliott & Frantz. “No ‘press one’ or‘press two.’ We are dead set against automatedphone systems. We have never had one and wenever will. It’s one of the things we do that is dif-ferent from a lot of businesses today.” Another difference between Elliott & Frantz

and its competition is accessibility. As BobSchaeffer explained, there aren’t a lot of levelsof management to go through to get answers.

The father and daughter team of Elliott &Frantz are Jim Elliott, CEO, and CatherineElliott, vice president of marketing.

Father and son — Bob Schaeffer is the president of Elliott & Frantz, and PeteSchaeffer is sales manager of the company’s Jessup,Md., branch. continued on page 6

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Congratulations to Elliott & Frantz, Inc., a valuable equipment source for 50 years

For information, demos, parts and service, contact your nearest Elliott & Frantz location:

King of Prussia, PA 19406 450 E. Church Rd.(610) 279-5200

Delmar, DE 19940 38420 Sussex Highway 302) 846-3306

Jessup, MD 20794 10421 Guilford Rd.(301) 725-7394

Gradall Industries, Inc., congratulates Elliott & Frantz, Inc., for its half-century of dedication to contractors and governments that require productive, versatile construction equipment in Maryland,

Delaware and eastern Pennsylvania.

Elliott & Frantz is your authorized source for versatile Gradall excavators including the new Series IV highway speed models that deliver greater productivity and

versatility along with new mobility benefits. You’ll appreciate faster, easier travel up to 60 mph with a new Tier 4i engine and an automatic transmission. From the upper cab, mobility is also improved with a new transfer case and other features. See Elliott & Frantz for details about Gradall excavators with the power and versatility to handle the work of many different machines, and undercarriages to handle virtually any terrain.

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“You can get to the right person quickly. Other companies don’tdo that. If you have a problem and you need to get to the top guy,one call does it. You can get a hold of me 24/7. You can get a holdof your salesman. If you want to talk to the owner of the compa-ny, you can call and ask for him. The receptionist won’t ask whatyou want or if you have an appointment. He picks up the phone.That doesn’t happen in other businesses.”That accessibility is part of Elliott & Frantz’s service and sup-

port. Bob Schaeffer believes support is more important to contrac-tors than the price or brand of equipment. “The customer has to trust you. They have to trust that you are

going to stand behind this thing you’re selling. That’s moreimportant than price or brand. Are you going to stand behind me?Are you going to be around? Are you going to be able to fix it?Are you going to sell me parts for it? It’s their bread and butter;it’s what makes them money. It has to run.” Schaeffer, like everyone else at Elliott & Frantz, knows that if

you don’t take care of a customer, you will never sell anything. “The customer is the most important thing in the world,” he said.

“And the most important thing to a customer is loyalty from the per-son they buy from. If you want customers, you have to take care of

them. Do what you say you’ll do and make surethe factory does what they say they are going todo. Customers can choose anyone to spend theirmoney with. You have to be different.”The difference at Elliott & Frantz is a balance

of service, integrity and loyalty — a loyalty thatis reciprocated by satisfied customers.

Leading by Example The sense of loyalty shared by employees and

customers is a direct result of the allegianceformed between the company’s founding part-ners. Jumbo Elliott, a famous and successfultrack coach at Villanova, also worked as a sales-man for Frantz Equipment Company inPhiladelphia. When the company went out ofbusiness in 1962, he formed a new partnershipwith Harry Frantz, based on the principles ofcommitment, dedication and hard work.Even after forming the business partnership,

Steve White, vice president of sales and marketing, stand in front of a Gradallexcavator in King of Prussia, Pa. Elliott & Frantz is consistently a top U.S. dealerfor Gradall.

Harry Frantz (L) and James “Jumbo” Elliottfounded Elliott & Frantz in 1962. The initiallines included Allis Chalmer, BuffaloSpringfield, and Northwest Engineering.

from page 3

7

Jumbo Elliott continued coaching track until hisdeath in 1981. His son, James, who is todayCEO of Elliott & Frantz, remembers his father’spartner Harry Frantz as funny, honest and hard-working. “He was a terrific guy, well-respected by

everyone in the industry. The two men wereequal partners.” The hard-working, loyal pair brought a lot of

the old Frantz employees along to the new com-pany. These days, Elliott & Frantz employsmore than 50 parts and service personnel at fivebranches located in King of Prussia, Pa.;Harrisburg, Pa.; Jessup, Md.; Delmar, Del.; andManassas, Va. Of their 16 territorial managers,12 of them have more than 20 years of experi-ence in the industry and the remaining four havemore than 10 years of experience.Having survived some difficult times in the

industry, James Elliott credits those loyalemployees with the company’s success. “It’s all about relationships and friendships.

All your friends come in and you either try tosell them something or try to hire them. Thatmakes this business a lot of fun to work in; it’s areason to be in this business. Most people whoget into this industry never leave.” His career began at age 16, when he worked

as a mechanic during summers and holidaysthrough college. After graduating, he beganworking full time, first as a salesman and then assales manager.It’s a familiar story. Another sales manager

started working at the company one summerafter high school 34 years ago. Steve Whitejoined his uncle, Tommy, who was the partsmanager, at Elliott & Frantz in 1977. “It’s been a great career. I started out working

in the warehouse, gradually taking on moreresponsibility with other roles. I’ve been a partsdriver, parts counterman and a salesman. It’s stilla great career. There’s no reason to leave. It’s agood company,” White said.Another long-time employee who worked his

way up through the parts department, JoeMcGlinchey started with the company 33 yearsago. For the past 25, he has served as the partsmanager, but he first began delivering parts. He Joe McGlinchey has been the parts manager at Elliott & Frantz’s King of Prussia,

Pa., headquarters for 25 years.

Sally Englehart is the service manager at Elliott & Frantz’s headquarters in Kingof Prussia, Pa.

continued on page 10

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moved up to the warehouse for a year or two before working atthe parts counter. A few years later, he became parts manager atthe King of Prussia branch. Now he works as general parts man-ager for all branches. Not only has Vice President Bill McLoughlin been with the

company for more than 30 years, but as a former Villanova cross-country runner on scholarship, he had an earlypersonal relationship with Jumbo Elliott. “He was a very charismatic person — one of

those bigger-than-life-type of guys. He had a bigpersonality.” McLoughlin remembers James Elliott from

his school days, although he was a few yearsahead of Elliott in class. Now the younger manis Bill’s boss. “Jimmy was really running things when I

started; Mr. Elliott was semi-retired in 1979, sothere were only a few years I worked with him.Jimmy [James] is extremely knowledgeableabout the business and the equipment and he isvery good at what he does. He never asks me oranyone else to do anything he doesn’t do.”Despite having been the vice president for 12

years, McLoughlin also is still a sales represen-tative, just as he was when he started with the

company in 1979. Every morning from about 6:45 toabout 9 a.m., he works in the Philadelphia office withthe sales team. “It’s what we do. We sell,” he said.Another long-time employee who rose through the

ranks to management is Bob Schaeffer. “I started out as branch manager in Maryland 31

years ago. I opened the Jessup and Delmar branches forthe company. Then Jim decided he wanted me involvedin everything, so he made me president in 2000.”Schaeffer, a former punter for the Baltimore Colts in

the early 1970s, epitomizes the company philosophy ofhard work and customer support. This philosophyderives from Jumbo Elliott, who spent much of his timewith customers. Son James followed suit and nowSchaeffer does as well. “We are not a big company. We try to hire people

who are pros, so I don’t have to look over every singlething or micromanage every department,” he said. “Itfrees up my time, so I can do things that are moreimportant, like take care of our customers. You can’t

grow without customers. In order to grow and keep your cus-tomers, you have to take care of them.”Taking care of customers during the recent economic downturn

hasn’t always been easy, but Schaeffer credits the company’s vastrental fleet and flexibility in helping proven customers continue tooperate. “Our customers have the ability to weather the storm. They will

stay in business and they still need equipment, whether we can

Ed Russell is a former Navy Seabee and currently Elliott & Frantz’s gener-al service manager in Jessup, Md.

Elliott & Frantz’s Manassas, Va., branch.

from page 7

11

provide it on a short-term rental basis or a long-term lease or sale.”As president, Schaeffer’s primary duties are to handle the com-

pany’s manufacturers and to spend time with customers. “I spend 75 percent of my time with customers,” he estimated.

“I want them to know I care about their business.” He proves how much he cares by going to their job sites and

demonstrations, following up with them to ensure they receiveservice. “It’s essential because it provides value to them. It makes them

feel that they are getting value by me going on the demo or meet-ing the customer. It gives them a direct line to us, providing acomfort level so they know that if something happens, they willbe taken care of. It sets us apart from the others. That’s important,because a customer can spend money anywhere.”Relative newcomer Sally Englehart also understands how

important it is to focus on taking care of customers. As servicemanager at the King of Prussia branch for the past year — a roleshe shares with Sean McMenamin, the previous service manager— she is responsible for overseeing the seven technicians in theservice department and for making sure the customers’ warrantyissues are dealt with.Responding quickly and directly to customers gives Elliott &

Frantz an edge, she said. “We try to have a very quick response time. Because we have

a long-standing rapport with most of our customers, ifthey have an issue, they can go through three different

avenues to resolve it: calling the service department, the sales per-son or our mechanics. They have a direct line to our mechanics.That is rare, but we’re comfortable letting customers we’ve hadfor a long time go directly to the mechanic.” Englehart believes Elliott & Frantz has some of the best

mechanics in the industry. “We’ve been told that by the manufacturers,” she said. The

majority of the senior techs have been with the company 20 yearsor more; one has been at Elliott & Frantz for 28 years. “It makes my job easier,” said Ed Russell, service manager at

the company’s Jessup, Md., branch, and former Navy Seabee.“All I need to do is say, ‘here, go fix this.’ I trust them. They knowwhat they’re doing.”Part of the reason they’re tops in their field can be ascribed to

ongoing training. “These machines are highly complicated. None of them are

simple anymore and there are always updates. Mechanics have tobe constantly trained because things are always changing, so weput them in every available class we can,” he said.Because Elliott & Frantz carries equipment from numerous

manufacturers, it can be difficult to keep up on training. “It’s always a challenge,” Russell said, “because they all have

different needs. It takes different training requirements to keep theguys up to speed. A lot of the bigger contractors have their own

The Elliott & Frantz service department lines up for a photo in front of several of the company’s service trucks at its headquartersin King of Prussia, Pa.

continued on page 14

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mechanics, but we get called in when the customer can’t figureout what is going on. Training is a big issue, because they look tous as the dealer. They think we should be able to fix things.”

The pace is changing, he added, with the new Tier IV engines.“There’s a whole new world of things to learn.”

Equipment Sales and ServiceJust as Elliott & Frantz has evolved, so too has the machinery

it carries. Back in 1962 the company started with simpler yethigh-quality lines such as Allis Chalmer, Buffalo Springfield andNorthwest Engineering. Today, the company offers a much moreextensive line, including Gradall, Hitachi, Kawasaki, Terex haul

trucks, Wirtgen, Hamm, Vogele, Morbark,Atlas Copco, JRB and Geith.

Steve White recounted the journey as thecompany expanded its inventory.

“At the start of my career, we were prob-ably the number one Fiat dealer for 10 years.We were big in Euclid trucks back then.

Lines changed to Link-Belt and thenHitachi.

“We sold Hitachi for about 20 to 25years,” White recalled. “We replaced the Fiatline with Kawasaki and sold that for 20-some years. We’ve had Terex [trucks] forabout 10 years now. We had Ingersoll Randrollers, milling machines and pavers. Theyalso have off-road, artic and quarry trucks.The T1 and TA series were the primaryones.”Elliott & Frantz carries an extensive inven-

tory and is always looking for new prod-Elliott & Frantz is an authorized Morbark dealer.

from page 11

Hitachi and Kawasaki iron is lined up and ready for customers insoutheastern Pa.

15

uct lines, Pete Schaeffer, sales manager in Maryland, said. Not only does the company invest in equipment, but he said it

also puts money into parts. McGlinchey estimated that the partsinventory company-wide is in the $3.5 to $4 million range, with“off-the-shelf availability at about 75 percent.”“Our parts and service are second to none,” Pete Schaeffer

insisted. “That keeps people coming back. You can sell anybodyone tractor, but when you sell them five and 10 and 15 and 20, it’sbecause of something: parts and service and relationships.” Elliott & Frantz has been ranked “Top Ten Dealer” with every

major account in its product line. According to Pete Schaeffer, in2011, it was in the Top 5 for Kawasaki, number one in the UnitedStates for Hitachi and number one worldwide for Gradall.“We have been tops for Gradall for 10 years in a row. Our mar-

ket shares exceed those of other companies. We are getting a high-er portion of the business in the product lines we handle than theaverage dealer.” While he attributed that to their philosophy and sound financial

position, it says just as much about its service as its sales record. No matter how financially sound a company may be, “you still

have to get the business, and that is what is important.” Keeping business is as important as getting it. Pete

Schaeffer pointed out that “80 percent of your business comesfrom 20 percent of your customers” and of that, 75 percent isrepeat business.That’s why Joe McGlinchey makes himself available 24 hours

a day, although he said he rarely gets an early-morning call. Whenhe does, he takes care of the problem. “A few years back when we had about three feet of snow, a cus-

tomer needed a part for a Kawasaki wheel loader. The call camein at 6 or 7 in the morning on the weekend. We had the part instock, so we drove in and got it to them. I lived five minutes away,so it took about a half hour to 45 minutes until we got it to the cus-tomer. The customer was thrilled, because while that loader wasdown, it wasn’t making money for them.” Everyone at Elliott & Frantz understands the threat of down-

time, no matter if it’s a big job like the shale pits in northernPennsylvania where one of the major contractors purchased andrented more than 50 Hitachi excavators and support equipmentincluding trucks and compaction equipment, or a single contrac-tor doing a sewage job.

“To him, it’s just as valuable,” Bob Schaeffer said.

Hamm rollers are among Elliott & Frantz’s extensive product offerings.

continued on page 16

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“Every hour they’re down, it costs them money.We try to handle each customer’s situation ascritical.”

Some jobs are time-sensitive. If a paving cus-tomer has a problem at 3 a.m. and the office isn’topen, what is he supposed to do?

“His sales representative has his phone by hisbedside and he will pick it up,” Bob Schaefferpledged. “It doesn’t happen that often, but itdoes happen.” Explaining that they’re usuallynotified in advance about critical after-hoursoperations, he said they put in place a mecha-nism to handle the situation should it arise.

There also are plans for parts delivery. Hitachiparts are typically received next day. Other man-ufacturers are about two days away,McGlinchey estimated, although anything canbe overnighted or drop-shipped directly to thecustomer.

“That way, they don’t have to lose a day orsend someone in to pick it up. Some customersfix their own machines.”

Turnaround time at the Jessup branch is twoto three days, said Ted Kushner, parts managerthere for the past nine years. Knowing that cus-tomers face downtime when they can’t get partsthrough their normal channels, he said his staffof six will research and sell parts beyond theirusual product lines.

“We look for things out of the norm if ourcustomers can’t find it locally because theydon’t have vendors or contacts. We try to helpthem out if we can. They call us because theyknow we’ve helped in the past. When they can’tget something and they need it right away, theycome to us. We go out of our way to get it forthem.”

There would be no need for parts or service ifthere were no sales. Although dealing primarilywith heavy highway contractors, Bob Schaeffersaid Elliott & Frantz works with “all kinds ofcontractors.” He believes it’s their persistenceand their ability to provide equipment that getsthem jobs — including big jobs like the shalepits.

“Our sales rep did a terrific job putting thatdeal together. We went to them for it. There’sanother 10 years of major construction, so it’sgoing to be busy.”Elliott & Frantz technicians work on a Hitachi excavator

in King of Prussia, Pa.

A technician works on equipment in Jessup, Md.

from page 15

continued on page 18

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50 YEARS AND GROWINGTerex Congratulates Elliott & Frantz On Their 50th Anniversary

Building and maintaining a stellar business reputation isn’t easy. Your dedication to customer service and support is to be commended and is refl ected in your success. Terex is proud to be your partner and we look forward to another 50 years of success.

© 2012 Terex Corporation.Terex is a registered trademark of Terex Corporation in the United States of America and many other countries.

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Other areas also are busy. With several milling businesses inJessup, there’s a lot of road work in Maryland. But Kushner alsopraised his branch’s sales team. “They sold a lot of equipment in this area over the past years.

The more equipment they push out, the better our parts businessgets.”Jessup Service Manager Ed Russell joked, “They say there’s a

recession, but I don’t see one, not with how busy I am.”

Hiring the Right People — Now and for the Future

Hiring the right sales staff leads to deals like the shale pit job. “I look for a sales rep who is really hungry,” Bob Schaeffer

said. “Someone who can build relationships and work hard. Onething that is never going to change is that this is a numbers game.The more calls you make, the more opportunities you have. Getup early, work hard and make a lot of calls. If you do that, you’llbe successful.”Similarly, when McGlinchey interviews potential parts

people, he makes sure the candi-date is a “people person.” “You have to have the right

personality. You have to want toanswer the phone. You have towant to talk to the customer.”Appearance is important. “You

want someone that’s professionalbecause occasionally you willhave to send him out to see thecustomer,” McGlinchey contin-ued. “It’s important to maintain agood rapport with the customer.We work with them to get themwhat they need. All the time.Definitely all the time.”In a competitive industry that

has seen the number of contrac-tors, suppliers and vendors multi-ply in the 50 years since Elliott &Frantz was founded, BobSchaeffer believes businesscomes down to relationships. “It is always going to be a rela-

tionship business.”The customers are all unique,

Bill McLoughlin said. “They are all successful people

and interesting characters.Everybody has different needs. Meeting them is a challenge.” That’s why Elliott & Frantz hires new employees with the same

attitude and philosophy they have established. Some even havethe same surname. Pete Schaeffer started right after high school in 1994, first

working in the parts department and the shop. “I’m following in my dad’s footsteps,” he said. “My dad is my

idol. Everyone likes him, he’s fun to be around and he has a goodrelationship with all of his customers. I look up to him.”“He [Pete] has been coming to work with me since he was 10

years old,” Bob Schaeffer reflected. “He understands what it takesto get a customer and keep a customer. He is one of the next gen-eration. Catherine [Elliott] is the same way. She is going out andmeeting customers and learning the business. She sees whatmakes us successful.”Success is not an exact science and the business isn’t static:

there are changes everyday. Nevertheless, Bob Schaeffer says it’sessentially an easy business. “It isn’t any different than any other business: if you take care

of your customers, they come back. If you don’t, they will

The parts department in Jessup, Md., tracks down parts for customers.

from page 16

19

find somewhere else to spend their money.Knowing how to keep customers willensure this company will still be in busi-ness 50 years from now.”“I have no doubt at all that the compa-

ny is going to move forward very well,”added McLoughlin, who credits JimElliott’s patience in working with theyounger generation in setting them up forsuccess. “He is a very patient guy — very

patient, helpful and hard-working. Whenyou have young people, you have to moti-vate them and keep them going,” he said.“It takes a lot of patience. You have tokeep people motivated and excited aboutwhat they are doing. There are a lot ofemotional ups and downs in a businesswhere one day you think you have thedeal and two days later you lost the deal.He is good at saying you’ll get the nextone, don’t worry about it. He is very goodwith them.”James Elliott expressed confidence in

the next generation. “They’ll take the business to an even

higher level.” Catherine Elliott echoed his sentiments:

“They will implement their ideas and uti-lize their knowledge about technology.”Although technology already plays a

key role, Bob Schaeffer envisions telemat-ics as the future. “It’s the buzz word today,” he said.

“The GPS-based systems that we put onequipment today allow you to monitoryour iron from the office. You can getcodes without going to the equipment.You know where the equipment is, whenit’s being used, if it has been serviced.That is where technology is going.”But technology requires investment.

Bob Schaeffer said Elliott & Frantz recog-nizes that and is prepared to invest in thefuture. “I think that to stay in this business for the next 50 years, you

have to evolve with new technology. You have to invest in thetooling necessary to do it, and that is constantly changing. Youalso have to invest in the training to keep up with newtechnology.”

He said the company is embracing new technology and a newway of doing things. “There is always room for improvement. What we have done

so far has worked, but we will try to do it better so we can stayahead.”

The parts department at Elliott & Frantz’s headquarters in King of Prussia, Pa., is hardat work locating parts for the company’s customers.

Brenda Newberry (L), receptionist, and Jeannie Snyder, accounts receivable work outof Elliott & Frantz’s Jessup, Md., branch.

continued on page 20

20

Atlas Copco SalutesElliott & Frantz, Inc.

50 Years of Industry LeadershipWe congratulate Elliott & Frantz, Inc., on an impressive half-century of service to the Tri-State area and the rest of their growing sales and service region, and we wish them continued success in the next half-century.

Elliott & Frantz is a full-line Atlas Copco hydraulic attachment dealer, featuring the complete range of small, mid-size and heavy breakers, as well as compactors, grapples, pulverizers, and cutters. And you can trust their trained technicians to maintain and service your Atlas Copco hydraulic attachment after the sale.

www.atlascopco.us

Respect and ReminiscencesAlthough Elliott & Frantz is evolving with the times in areas

such as technology and equipment, it continues to incorporate old-fashioned values like hard work, respect, customer service andteamwork.

“I think we’re helpful with each other and try to solve issuestogether,” Kushner said. “If we have issues with backorders, thepresident will come and we’ll talk about how we can get it solvedfor the customer. He might authorize it to be pulled off a machineor try to get it from other sources I don’t know about. We all worktogether to accomplish the same goal: to get the customers takencare of.”

Englehart appreciates being empowered to make decisions likethat.

Elliott & Frantz’s parts department is always well stocked withmyriad parts for its customers.

from page 19

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“Instead of going through 18 million layers of management toget approval, it’s nice to be able to run with ideas.”

The main idea never changes: doing the right thing for the cus-tomer — which is what Jeff Cooper, sales representative/branchmanager in Manassas, Va., tries to do. The former rental compa-ny employee started with thedealer in 2005 as a sales repre-sentative for northern Virginia,working out of his house.

“I like working for Elliott &Frantz because of the people.”

Others echoed his sentiments.Russell, a former Navy Seabee,has been with Elliott & Frantz for10 years.

“When I retired, everyone saidI’d go through three to five jobsbefore I found one I like, but thisis my first job since I retired fromthe Navy. There’s somethingabout this place I like. It’s a goodcompany to work for.”

Pete Schaeffer thinks peoplestay because it’s fun.

“It’s different everyday: oneday you’re selling an excavator,

the next a Mobark chipper and the next a milling machine.” But he knows the real reason for the widespread longevity. “We are close to our people here. We are good about maintaining

relationships. Once they are in the family, it’s hard to get them out.”

A Hitachi mini-excavator is on its way to a customer inMaryland.

Wirtgen milling machines awaiting customers at Elliott & Frantz’s Jessup, Md., facility.

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“It has been a fabulous experience for me,” Bill McLoughlinconcluded, looking back over his tenure with the company. “It’sbeen a lot of fun — and still is. I still enjoy getting out everyday,chasing down deals. It has been a very interesting and fun busi-ness. The company has been great to me and I’m glad I joinedthem 32 years ago.”

“My father loved what he did,” said James Elliott. “That’samong my most important business-related memories that I haveof him. There is no way to be successful if you don’t love whatyou do. You can fake it for while, but people will see the truth,eventually, and so will you.”

And the future for Elliott & Frantz is bright.“I have no concerns about where this company is headed in the

future,” said James Elliott. “We have talented, loyal, hard-work-ing and passionate people who work here, and I know because ofthe way we’ve groomed them that this business will survive andthrive for many years to come. Remember, it’s always aboutdoing right by the customers and everyone from top tobottom lives by this here.”

While Elliott & Frantz’s business philosophy will neverchange, businesses evolve as their industry demands. But JamesElliott provided a caveat about this type of change.

“Elliott & Frantz will continue to look for new growth oppor-tunities, whether they be through equipment line acquisitions,new hires or facility expansion,” said James Elliott. “But we willnever grow just because we can. We will grow only when the cus-tomers demand it. Building a new facility will only happen if wecan ensure that that new location will be as focused on customerservice as all of our others. Again, the customer is always rightand if they tell us they need another Elliott & Frantz facility orequipment line, that’s when we’ll grow. Growing for the sake ofgrowth alone is a poor business model.”

The story of Elliott & Frantz exists for one dominant reason —customers. And it’s a reality not lost on James Elliott.

“I want to thank each and every one of our customers for thesepast 50 years,” said James Elliott. “We do what we love to dobecause of them. We’ve very lucky because our customers are ourfriends, as well. Business and friendship are earned. I promise

we’ll continue to earn both as we enter the next 50 yearsof business.” CEG

Hitachi excavators are showcased in front of Elliott & Frantz’s branch in Jessup, Md.

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