EquipmentShare is adding a patriotically wrapped telehandler to its rental fleet to demonstrate its commitment to hiring and supporting veterans and service members.
The Genie GTH-1056 telehandler is nicknamed "Tele-Hero" and is wrapped in camouflage and stars-and-stripes. Ten percent of the Tele-Hero's rental proceeds will be donated to Welcome Home Inc., and Hire Heroes USA, two organizations that help veterans find safe housing and employment resources. EquipmentShare expects to donate more than $3,400 annually from the Tele-Hero's rental proceeds alone.
EquipmentShare's philanthropic mission and workforce development initiatives both include supporting and hiring those who wore the uniform. The Tele-Hero is the first initiative of its kind that EquipmentShare has launched, and the company is excited to kick it off with one of its equipment partners, Genie.
"I, and the rest of the Genie team, take great pride in supporting our customers and equipment rental partners with quality equipment that achieves their business goals," Genie President Simon Meester said. "We are especially proud when it supports a deserving cause like honoring our veterans, and we are honored that EquipmentShare selected the GTH-1056 for its Tele-Hero initiative."
"We hope that the Tele-Hero demonstrates our commitment to veterans and serves as a call to action for more employers to open their doors and offer fulfilling work to our heroes," said EquipmentShare CEO and Co-founder Jabbok Schlacks.
U.S. Air Force Senior Airman Mark Ayers was present at the event to accept a full-time position at EquipmentShare's Tyler, Texas, branch. Ayers worked with Hiring Our Heroes and the Department of Defense's Skillbridge program to be placed in an internship with EquipmentShare during the final months of his active duty military service. EquipmentShare is currently developing its own workforce development programs to encourage veterans and service members like Ayers to explore employment opportunities in the equipment and construction industries.
"I've already told other service members about the opportunities that EquipmentShare and this industry offer for us," Ayers said. "We get to go out and meet new people every day, help them solve their problems and be more effective. After serving in the military, it's good to once again work alongside a great team and have a new sense of purpose and mission to work towards. I'm excited to start at my new position."
"The EquipmentShare team is honored to work alongside veterans every day," Schlacks said. "They're natural leaders; they're passionate and driven, and that makes them perfect for our team of problem solvers. We're also proud to lead initiatives like the Tele-Hero that give our customers another reason to do business with us. They, too, are making a difference in the lives of others."
