Tow Boss
A Towman Who Invests In Towers The Stauffer family with the company’s Jerr-Dan 60-ton rotator on a Kenworth chassis.
By Brian J Riker
Brian J. Riker is a third-generation towman, with 25 years of experience in the ditch as a tow operator, and president of Fleet Compliance Solutions. He specializes in helping navigate the complex world of federal and state transportation regulatory compliance. He can be reached at brian.riker@fleetcompliancesolutions.net
I
recently spent a few hours speaking with Kurtis Stauffer of Stauffer’s Towing hoping to understand what has allowed his business to expand, dare I say thrive, during these difficult economic times brought on by the COVID-19 outbreak. At 59 years old and with 40 years as the owner of Stauffer’s Towing based in Salt Lake City, Utah it would be fair to say he has learned a thing or two along the way. The Stauffer family success is not because of what many would assume -having a large amount of funding available, rather it stems from what Kurtis learned from his father Von who founded the business in 1954. These lessons have become the key principles of providing exceptional customer service through proper training of their team with a fanatical focus on safety and employee well-being. Besides being prudent with managing expenses and controlling their internal growth Kurtis credits their success to the sacrifices his wife and four children have made. He has shared his vision for the growth of the family business and working with other towers within the entire towing
36 • November 2020 | Towman.com
community. The concept is simple, by raising the bar for the entire industry and helping others grow we all benefit from the successes. It is in this spirit he has begun a program to help entrepreneurs desiring to own their own towing company but needing a little assistance to get their shot at success. In key locations within their service area Kurtis is willing to partner with qualified individuals where, in exchange for a minority ownership interest or percentage of revenue agreement, he will help them pick a location, purchase their tow truck(s), develop a business plan and steer work into their independent facility. This is not a franchise deal, they will be fully independent businesses, with guidance and support from the Stauffer family organization. As a network affiliate these independent towing companies will benefit from group buying power for insurance, employee benefits, parts, service and more. From humble beginnings Kurtis and his family have built their company into the powerhouse it is today. With more than a dozen locations spanning three
◀
