Utility is in Our DNA – The Story of Rob Troxel, PTR’s CEO

Rob Troxel has been a notable name in the utility industry for quite some time. We wanted to share a little bit of his story with you, since utility is in our DNA.

EARLY YEARS

Fresh out of high school, our owner Rob decided college wasn’t his thing. He worked with his father, Bob Troxel, and brother, Jason Troxel, to obtain a used auto dealer license. They started frequenting auctions around the country and always with an eye for unique, specialty pieces, led Rob, Jason and Bob into the world of utility equipment.

In the early ‘90s, the Troxels partnered with Gene Glover to become a used utility truck equipment dealer called Nesco. Working out of a building right next to Gene’s house, they grew the company, adding dozens of utility equipment vehicles. Soon, they were renting nationwide. Rob learned the ropes of the bucket, digger derrick and utility trailer industry from the ground up, attending ICUEE/Utility Expo shows since the 1990’s, and making friends across our tight-knit utility industry.

“With the conception of Nesco in the ‘90s, Rob Troxel changed the model of how sales and rental in our industry operated. His ideas benefited customers as well as manufacturers for the better.” 

-Wade Hogg, Owner of Hogg and Davis

A FAMILY EFFORT

While Rob and Bob headed up the sales and daily management tasks, his brother Jason was at the helm of the service department. Over the years, Rob’s daughters worked at NESCO and grew up with a healthy respect for the utility industry. Rob’s son-in-law, Jameson Ringger, became a Vice President in later years, and Rob’s daughter, Adriene Horn, worked on the marketing team.

NESCO GROWTH & SALE

From humble beginnings, Rob and the Troxel family grew Nesco into an impressive, modern day equipment rental house with thousands of pieces of equipment. In the early 2000’s, the Troxel family learned that Bob was diagnosed with Lymphoma. Due to upcoming treatments and uncertainty, more responsibility shifted to Rob. Bob’s treatments are in the rearview mirror and he’s still in remission today! Rob made him proud; adding team members, locations, and plenty of new equipment to the fleet.

As the company grew, a private equity firm approached Rob and he sold majority ownership to HKW out of Indianapolis. The company turned over two additional times, first to Platinum Equity Group and then finally to Equity Capital Partners before Rob exited the company officially in 2013.

 NEW JOURNEY AT PTR

Our equipment rental journey as NESCO started as a family affair, and at PTR today, it’s still a family affair! Rob and Adriene Troxel-Horn started PTR in 2014 with a vision of providing custom upfit truck rentals to utility contractors around the country.

Little did they know within seven short years, PTR would be fortunate enough to see the success of thousands of specialty rental pieces, multiple locations, and 100+ employees. Several team members currently on staff used to work at NESCO and have many ICUEE shows under their belt.

“We were sad to see the end of the NESCO era this year with the Custom Truck acquisition, but we will continue building our legacy at PTR – backed by the same customer service our family is known for. As for PTR, don’t count on us selling anytime soon!” 

-Rob Troxel, CEO and Co-Owner

“It’s been a great ride over the years (maybe our13th show). I’ve been on Troxel’s team either selling to his companies, working together to take care of mutual customers, and twice as a team member. He has tremendous industry knowledge and an eagerness to adapt with new product offerings and methods. More importantly, is the amount of life-long friendships he has in our industry. As a salesperson, it’s awesome to know that you have an owner behind you that understands relationships and the responsibility we have to our customers. He, continually, reflects how our performance and follow-through make, or break, everyone’s success”. 

– Dave Doolin, SC Territory Rep, 25+ years in utility industry

“We know all too well the struggles that come with becoming a private equity owned or publicly held company. The larger you grow and the more investors you have, the further down the priority list customer service and employee satisfaction goes. Working with the Troxel family, it’s different. Here at PTR, we know that’s not our play. We put the customer first. We’re their easy button”.

– Brandie Cotton, 17 years in the utility industry

“When joining PTR in 2016, I was new to the utility industry. Working alongside Rob has taught me so many valuable lessons about the industry. From equipment knowledge to truly understanding the customers needs and working with them to provide true equipment solutions. His relationships throughout the industry speak volumes to who he is and how well he is respected. Its really what makes the PTR difference, putting the customers first and building relationships all while providing equipment solutions!”

– Andy DeLaGarza, 6 years in the utility industry

PTR TODAY

Whether you need specialized work trucks, equipment trailers, in-house upfits on trucks, all-terrain vehicles and utility trailers, PTR takes care of you. Earlier this year, alongside the rapid growth of our company, our fleet of utility trailers quickly grew. PTR now has a wider selection of cable trailers, reel/tension trailers, pole trailers and more.

Our specialized fleet offering is unlike any other company in this industry, allowing us to cater to each of our customer’s needs. We are excited to be launching our new trailer additions at the 2021 Utility Expo this month!

“We’ve been itching to get back into utility trailers for a few years now. I was raised around this type of equipment; this is a big moment for our family and for PTR. From the customer response so far, I’d say the industry has missed us! In large part thanks to the legacy Rob built at NESCO, PTR has had an amazing launch pad that I am very thankful for. I’m proud to continue this legacy with PTR, we’ve got some of the hardest working team members we could ask for!”

– Adriene Horn, President & Co-Owner

Rob, Adriene and the rest of the PTR sales team, will be at the 2021 Utility Expo, showcasing the new utility trailers available for rent! Be sure to swing by our booth (E927) to learn more about these trailers and other trucks and trailers that we offer.