(L-R) are Congressman Mario Diaz-Balart; Ronald Miller, managing director, Trekker Group; Bob Henderson, executive vice president, AED; Brian McGuire, president and CEO, AED; José Cestero, president and CEO, Trekker Group.

Recently, Trekker Group hosted Florida Congressman Mario Diaz-Balart at its Miami-based headquarters. Diaz-Balart arranged the visit to learn more about the construction equipment industry and what policy issues impact them both positively and negatively. Brian McGuire, president and CEO of Associated Equipment Distributors (AED) and Bob Henderson, executive vice president of the AED, also attended to serve as the voice of all North American dealerships, confirming that Trekker Group is not alone in some of their challenges.

José Cestero, president and CEO of Trekker Group, and Ronald Miller, managing director of Trekker Group, gave the group a brief tour of the dealership, noting the importance of reliable service to their customers and, in turn, the value of having well trained technicians to perform the service. Cestero explained the short supply and high demand for these types of skilled employees in South Florida. McGuire pointed out that a 2016 study by AED indicates that construction equipment dealers lose $2.4B annually due to the inability to hire quality technicians.

Miller gave the congressman an overview of the applications of several machines, taking time to point out the high cost of each piece and the overall investment a company like Trekker Group has in physical assets.

“Fair, comprehensive tax reform must get done” said Miller. “Companies like ours need certainty and stability to continue operating. Tax policies such as like-kind exchanges, business interest deductibility and LIFO accounting are great pro-business investment tools, not loopholes.”

Congressman Diaz-Balart, who sits on the House Committee on Appropriations, re-assured the group that he understands the value and economic impact of investing in infrastructure. He stated that it's a top priority for Congress and that it will have strong bi-partisan support.

CEG

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