Bc equipment by Jorge Leandro Rodrigues

INDIANA

How Hard Work, Service and Faith Spurred 30 Years of Growth

By Julie Devine

sit in the operator’s lap as crews built the Highway 75 Central Expressway. “I remember booming up that crane and thinking, ‘This is what I’ve got to do.’” According to his father, “Seems like he’s been operating equipment ever since. He can operate anything. He always enjoyed being around equipment.” When Lathrop graduated high school, he worked as a truck driver for local equipment dealers. “I was 18 years old, driving a new Peterbilt truck, and I thought that was as good as it gets,” he said. Leo Gonzalez, Comptroller

Bill and Cathy Lathrop

hirty years ago Bill and Cathy Lathrop founded B-C Equipment Sales, Inc., in Corpus Christi, Texas. They worked in a portable building with a small heater for warmth

and just the two of them handling all aspects of the business. Over the years they added employees, inventory, sales volume, and three more locations in south Texas— but they kept the same family values.

“Helping others is a central theme for B-C Equipment Sales,” said Leo Gonzalez, Comptroller. “We like to say we’re the largest customer care business in the world. As small as we are, that may sound funny, but we like to show people that we care.” In fact, that philosophy applies to all facets of the business—from employees, customers, and vendors to support for charitable causes. B-C Equipment now offers sales, rentals, parts, and service for new and used construction and compaction equipment, including cranes, excavators, bulldozers, and much more from a variety of manufactures (see “B-C Brands” sidebar). But the equipment is only a small part of the story.

Humble Beginnings

“I was raised in the equipment business,” said Bill Lathrop, Jr., Owner/ Founder/President of B-C Equipment. His father, Bill Lathrop, Sr., sold equipment and Lathrop often accompanied him to work. The first time he ever ran a crane, he was small enough to

Bill Lathrop, Sr., Dash Truck & Equipment Sales

He operated cranes for various companies, tried his hand running an hourly crane business before the economy crashed in the early 1980s, then worked for a Corpus Christi contractor taking care of equipment and trucks. In April 1986, he and his wife Cathy (thus “B-C” for Bill and Cathy) started their own company. “At the time, we weren’t the dealers for anything and there wasn’t the internet, but we started buying and brokering equipment and trucks and whatever we could do

B-C Equipment 1st annual open house 1992

to make a buck,” he said. “I’d buy equipment one day, go back and haul it away the next day, then I’d be the mechanic fixing it, the salesman selling it, and the truck driver delivering it.” Cathy handled accounting functions and the two worked out of a small Morgan building. “It didn’t have any insulation,” Lathrop remembered. “When it was cold, I’d go by there in the morning, turn on a little gas heater, then go down the street to eat breakfast and let that office warm up.” The business grew, thanks to the network of contacts Lathrop developed through his previous endeavors. In 1991, when the Link-Belt dealer for south Texas retired, Lathrop partnered with an associate from that company, Tommy Nelms, to win the Link-Belt

B-C Equipment Sales main office, 1992

account. “He was a friend of my dad’s and I,” Lathrop said. “He’d known me since I was a kid.” A few years later, Lathrop bought out Nelms and partnered with John Engquist, CEO of H&E Equipment Services headquartered in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. “We’re independent from H&E’s other dealerships; we work together, but we also compete,” Lathrop said. B-C Equipment has now grown to 50 employees, added brands, and expanded to San Antonio, La Feria, Laredo, and Victoria, Texas. “Bill started out on his own and just kept going and going,” his father said. “It’s been real enjoyable, a father seeing his son do as well as he has.”

requent celebrations pull employees together. For the start of the new fiscal year, managers grilled burgers for all the employees. In the breakroom, a calendar lists every birthday. “One day each month they call everyone in from the yard and say, ‘It’s time to eat cake!’” said Frank Taylor, Mechanic, who’s been with the company 23 years. Frank Taylor, Service Technician

Building Loyal Relationships

Al Niece of Niece Equipment LP. , Bill Lathrop, Sr. and Bill Lathrop, Jr.

Keeping It in the Family

For a time, B-C Equipment sold and rented pick-up trucks, vans, buses, and golf carts. As opportunities in those markets grew, the family decided to start a separate business. Dash Truck & Equipment Sales, Inc., owned by Cathy Lathrop and daughters Sarah and Melanie as a WBE company, began in 1995. Bill Lathrop, Sr., and his wife ran the company together until she passed away in 2009. Now Lathrop Sr. runs the day to day operations at Dash Truck & Equipment Sales, along with several other employees. Just as with B-C Equipment, the company name stemmed from its family roots. “The name ‘DASH’ started when they were discussing business one time during supper and Cathy said, ‘We shouldn’t talk business in front of the kids,’ and Sarah said, ‘But I’m the dash between the B and the C!’ So I started calling her Dash,” Lathrop Sr. related. When the family formed the separate company, the name seemed appropriate. With the two businesses located

Laura Burns, Staff Accountant/HR

Sarah Baugh, Marketing

Chris Baugh, Sales Manager

Melanie Lathrop, Warranty Administrator

across the street from each other, Lathrop and his father still work closely together. “My dad knows everybody in our trade territory and they have a lot of respect for him,” he said. “He just turned 86 and he gets in the office by 6:45 every morning.” Lathrop’s daughter, Sarah Baugh, began working for Dash Truck while she was attending college as a business

major. She moved over to B-C Equipment to handle marketing and charitable work three years ago. Her husband, Chris Baugh, serves as Sales Manager and her sister Melanie joined the company two years ago as Warranty Administrator. Lathrop continues to run B-C Equipment like a small family business. According to Gonzalez, who’s been with

the company 14 years, “The number of employees and annual revenue has grown, but it’s still a down-to-earth, close-knit company. The owner is close to every aspect of the business and maintains an open door policy with all the employees. Service technicians from the trucks feel comfortable walking directly into Bill’s office to discuss things.”

With that family atmosphere, many employees stay with B-C Equipment for a long time, advancing through the ranks. For instance, Laura Burns held a variety of administrative and accounting roles through the last 16 years and now serves as Staff Accountant/Human Resources Administrator. “Bill and Cathy have a family outlook, versus a corporation where you’re just a number,” she said. “I’m a single mom and if I need to leave work, there’s never a question. They’re understanding and work with you to take care of your needs and the company’s needs at the same time.” Robert Elizondo started 14 years ago as a Mechanic’s Helper, moved into the parts warehouse, and served as Parts Manager for the last five years. “Bill’s work ethic trickles down to all of us,” he said. “All of the managers try to take care of our employees the way Bill takes care of us. Guys know we’ll be there for them, inside and outside of work.”

That loyalty and caring carries over to customer interactions, as well. “I tell people all the time, ‘I don’t want the deal; I want the relationship,’” Lathrop said. Elizondo related how Lathrop leads by example: “We had a customer with a crane down, and the part came in on a Saturday. Bill drove it to the job site almost three hours away. They were dead in the water until they got the part and he wanted to get them back up and running.” Because of that attitude, “We have a lot of repeat business and a lot of business from outside our trade territory,” Gonzalez, Comptroller said. “Bill is a straight shooter, he really cares about the customer, and he knows his stuff. That news spreads. People call us from Pennsylvania or west Texas or other places because they like dealing with our guys. They’re attentive to their needs, they do a lot of resourcing, and they don’t stop—where they might initially see a dead end, they continue to pursue onward.”

Robert Elizondo, Parts Manager

That effort applies around the clock when necessary. “We’re always on call—24/7, 365 days a year, 366 if there’s a leap year,” Elizondo said.

Working Harder

Extra effort played a role in Lathrop’s business model since the beginning. “When I started this company, all the guys in the equipment business used to be on the same street,” he said. “I was the smallest guy on the block and I knew I needed to do something to be different. I tried to be more personable. People always had my phone number to call me at home anytime.” Lathrop still remains hands-on. He makes a point of introducing himself to customers in the yard or at the parts counter. He maintains his Commercial Driver’s License to drive the haul trucks. “One Friday afternoon I delivered a machine out to a job,” he said. “When the superintendent found out I own the company he asked what I was doing driving the truck. I said, ‘My driver

was out of hours and you didn’t want to hear that story; you just wanted the machine, so I’m driving the truck.’ I hope I never get too big where I think I can’t do that.” The extra effort results in loyal customers. For instance, Marty Berry, Director of the Board at Bay Ltd., headquartered in Corpus Christi, has worked with Lathrop since B-C Equipment began 30 years ago. “It’s easy when you buy a piece of equipment and it works just fine,” he said. “When you have a brand-new piece of equipment with recurring issues, that’s when you find out what kind of dealer you have—and we’ve found that Bill is a top-rate dealer. He goes to bat for you. He makes things right. If he has to he’ll replace the equipment, but he goes back to the factory and represents you like he normally represents the factory when he’s selling. He takes on your problem and makes it his own. A lot of dealers will walk away from problems, but that’s not the way it is with Bill Lathrop.”

“I’ve got a lot of respect for Bill. He’s quite the entrepreneur. With his heart issue, he’s quite the survivor. He doesn’t look at problems as stumbling blocks; he sees them as opportunities. I admire him because he’s worked hard all his life. Nobody can ever say he didn’t earn what he has.” Jerry Lopez, former employee and now owner of Laguna Crane Services, Aransas Pass, Texas

The Night He Died

“J Bill Lathrop, Jr, walking out of the hospital on October 11, 2013, eleven days after suffering sudden cardiac death.

ust over two years ago, on October 1, 2013, I died,” Lathrop said. Despite being an avid runner in great physical shape, he suffered sudden cardiac death syndrome. “When I laid down to go to sleep, dying wasn’t part of my plans,” he joked. “I went back and looked at my to-do list and I didn’t have it on that day or the next day.” His wife Cathy heard him moaning during the night, couldn’t wake him,

and began performing CPR. “When I first got to the hospital, they came out and told my wife and daughter I didn’t make it,” Lathrop said. “They thought I was dead for over 15 minutes. But that changed.” Doctors used therapeutic hypothermia, with a cooling catheter to lower body temperature and prevent brain damage, then placed Lathrop in a medically induced coma. With prayers going out around the world, “People really rallied around my family and our busi-

ness,” Lathrop said. “They ended up giving my family a room at the hospital because it wasn’t uncommon for there to be 30 or 40 people down there. I was in the coma for six days. Two weeks later I walked out of the hospital and now I’m back running.” Doctors called Lathrop a walking miracle. They said that out of 100 people who experience sudden cardiac death, 90 die. Of the 10 who make it, nine suffer debilitating brain or organ damage and one makes it.

“There’s nothing like dying to give you a different perspective on living,” Lathrop said. “I experienced the perfect peace of heaven. When I first came to, I kept saying, ‘I want to go back. I want to go back.’ I thank God for every day now.” An implanted cardiac device monitors Lathrop’s heart but doesn’t restrict his activity. “The only thing they told me is don’t run a full marathon; you can run halves,” Lathrop said. He’s already run several.

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What Happens After It Breaks Down Lathrop passes that customer commitment on to every employee. “We’re not scared to go out on a limb and do whatever the customer requests,” said Mark Ross, Rental Manager. “People call us all the time for stuff we don’t even own, but we’ll outsource it. Whatever the customer needs, we try to take care of it.” Lathrop considers that a necessary part of the business. “I tell customers all the time, ‘Everything I sell breaks down, but it’s what we do after it breaks down that makes a difference.’” Taylor added, “Our claim to fame has always been our service work. When your equipment breaks down, we’re going to fix it for you no matter what. We’ve always been Johnny on the Spot. We don’t stop until we find the solution you need.”

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Mark Ross, Rental Manager

Even vendor repair specialists see the difference. “Their mechanics are very knowledgeable about the equipment,” said Gordon Mock, Manager of Houston-based Hydraulics of Texas. His firm works with mechanics from B-C Equipment on hydraulic repairs. “With some others we have to start digging and asking questions. These guys are so far advanced.” Factory training helps, but Mock gives much of the credit to the longevity of B-C Equipment’s employees. “You don’t see much turnover with them. I deal with people who have been there over 15 years.” Ross, who’s been with B-C Equipment for 22 years, added, “Our employees are seasoned veterans—and that’s every department: rentals, sales, service, parts, even accounting. We all get along and work together.” B-C Equipment also focuses on com-

Port of Corpus Christi, 1991, shipment of equipment to China, Bill Lathrop Jr. pictured

munication. “They’re very attentive to your needs,” said Mike Kuhn, who recently retired as Branch Manager for TNT Crane & Rigging in Corpus Christi. “When you break down they understand you’re not making money and you need to get back up and running as soon as possible. They keep you informed about what’s going on with your equipment.” Garland Kennedy, Jr., Vice President of Kennedy Wire Rope and Sling Company, Inc., in Corpus Christi, has been doing business with B-C Equipment for 30 years. “They’re extremely professional,” he said. “They do a superb job, and that’s the reason they’ve been able to stay in business so long.”

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“Bill is the kind of person you like as a friend; he’s the kind of person you like to do business with. His word is his bond and he’ll do everything he can to make the deal right. Because of that, he’s always had a lot of repeat business from us and always will.” Marty Berry, Director of the Board, Bay Ltd., Corpus Christi, Texas

Cause Machines With the success of the business, Lathrop started a program to give back through “Cause Machines.” In 2011, B-C Equipment painted a 30-ton Link-Belt RTC 8030 Crane pink and began donating 10 percent of the rental fees to breast cancer research. They later added a second Pink Crane (also a Link-Belt RTC 8030). The idea began when people close to the company’s mechanics died of breast cancer. “We put those people’s names on the machine, and we’ve added a few more since,” Lathrop said.

When Lathrop met a family with a young daughter diagnosed with cancer, he wanted to help raise awareness for her disease, too. In 2013, taking a cue from childhood cancer’s official color, B-C Equipment wrapped two LBX 210 X3 hydraulic excavators in gold vinyl and dubbed them the Gold Diggers.

The machine is dedicated to Brooke Hester and her organization, Brooke’s Blossoming Hope for Childhood Cancer Foundation, whose mission is to fund cutting edge Childhood cancer research and development as well as spread hope, love and smiles through the distribution of headbands and

sweatbands to children fighting cancer. The vinyl wrap bears pictures of children of all ages and backgrounds who suffer from many different types of cancer. Ten percent of the rental fees for the Gold Diggers go to Brooke’s Blossoming Hope for Childhood Cancer Foundation. Brooke, the inspiration of the Gold Digger, passed away last June at 8 years old. “At her funeral, I was standing by the Gold Digger,” Lathrop related. “A woman came up and as I started telling her about it, she said, ‘I’m familiar with the Gold Digger but I’ve never seen it in person. My daughter’s picture is right here.’ She had come from Virginia and her daughter was one of the ones who had passed away. This project has truly been a blessing for us as we meet people and hear their stories and the impact these organizations have.”

So far the Pink Cranes have raised $40,000 for breast cancer research and the Gold Diggers have raised $20,000 for childhood cancer research.

In September, B-C Equipment introduced a new Cause Machine to raise money for Wish for Our Heroes, a nonprofit organization supporting active duty military personnel. The LBX 210 x3 excavator features photos of soldiers, with an American flag on the back. B-C Equipment donated $5,000 to kick off their commitment to the organization. More Cause Machines are coming. “The next one in 2016 will be for the American Heart Association,” Lathrop said. (See “The Night He Died” sidebar for the reason he chose that cause.) The Cause Machines make appearances at special events, such as various fundraisers and walks dedicated to raising money for the causes we support, but remain part of B-C Equipment’s regular fleet, rented at the same rates as other

machines. “Whenever the Cause Machines are available I send them out,” Ross said. “I try to keep them busy, out on the streets so everybody can see them. When we show up at a job sometimes people are confused at first, but after they learn the story of the machine they appreciate it.” In addition to the monetary donations, “It’s a great way to advertise for the causes,” Lathrop said. “I’ve driven the haul truck with a Cause Machine and people pulled up beside us on the freeway with their phones out to take a picture. What family hasn’t been affected by cancer or helped by our military? The spokesman for Wish for Our Heroes said, ‘We sure appreciate this,’ and I said, ‘Well, I sure enjoy my freedom.’”

CONGRATULATIONS TO B-C EQUIPMENT SALES, INC. ON 30 YEARS OF SERVICE. Jeff Burns of Wish Four Our Heroes and Bill Lathrop, Jr.

Bill Lathrop, Jr. on a mission trip in Mfuwe, Zambia, 2012.

‘God on Our Side’

athrop also invests time and money in mission trips, building schools and churches in developing countries, and other activities spurred by his faith. “I’m a Christian and I bring my faith to work and everywhere else I go,” he said. “I tell employees all the time that God’s on our side.” Lathrop shares devotional books in the employee breakroom and albums from his mission trips in the foyer. On the first of every month, he leads a prayer at the branch and department managers’ meeting. “We thank God and ask him to help us find our way in dealing with our customers and vendors,” Elizondo said. B-C Equipment also places a copy of the devotional Grace for the Moment by San Antonio Minister Max Lucado in each machine they rent or sell. “We put a sticker in the front saying we’re providing this book for them to read each day,” Lathrop said. “We encourage them to take it if they’ll read it. All of our Mechanics and Truck Drivers carry that book to share, too.” One day a customer asked Lathrop if he was the one responsible for putting the books in the machines. “I said, ‘Well, God had me do that,’ and he replied, ‘I just want you to know that makes a difference for people.’ That’s why we do it. It’s our way to use our business and try to tell people about God and what He can do. He’s sure blessed us for 30 years.” The company website echoes that sentiment with a verse from 2 Corinthians: “We are so glad that we can say with utter honesty that in all our dealings we have been pure and sincere, quietly depending on the Lord for His help and not on our own skills.” After so many years of working with Lathrop, Mock said, “He won’t mind telling you the true reason he’s successful in his life. We’ve even prayed together.”

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“I’ve known Bill and his dad for 40 years, and we’ve worked with B-C Equipment as long as they’ve been in business. Bill is honest and trustworthy.” Danny Alexander, President, Gulf Coast Crane Services, Corpus Christi, Texas B-C Equipment offers sales, rentals, parts, and service for a variety of dealers, including:

Customer Appreciation at the Rodeo

ince the annual Corpus Christi Buc Days Pro Rodeo began 25 years ago, B-C Equipment has donated time, machines for set-up, and sponsorship every year. The four-day event each spring raises money for scholarships through the nonprofit Buccaneer Commission. “My dad got involved in putting that together and has been there

Rendered drawing of the new office building in San Antionio, Texas now nearing completion.

No Limits

With his faith and determination, Lathrop continues to tackle new challenges. “One of the things I always try to pursue is to not let there be any limits,” he said. “We can do so much if we set our minds to it.” For instance, “With the internet, our trade areas get bigger,” he said. “A few years ago, in the middle of the Iraqi War, we sold 15 cranes to the U.S. Army and delivered them to downtown Baghdad.” B-C Equipment has also done business in Egypt, Africa, Central America, and Mexico. Those international transactions include service as well as equipment sales. “When we were doing a lot of business in Brazil, one of our mechanics spent the whole month of November in the middle of the Amazon Jungle,” Lathrop recounted. “Most of my mechanics have passports and have traveled internationally.” Taylor, who has worked all over the U.S. and in Aruba, Brazil, Trinidad, and Mexico, added, “A lot of that is word-of-mouth and the trust factor. We’ve had calls from overseas where we’ve been recommended.”

International opportunities and the company’s overall market diversity help them weather economic highs and lows. Right now, “The oil fields have slowed somewhat, but we know even if that’s a year or two, the industrial boom will take care of our needs,” Gonzalez said. “Ultimately residential will begin to expand and other commercial projects as well.” As the company continues to tackle new challenges and grow, “We want to remain a family-owned, hands-on business,” Lathrop said. Even though his wife Cathy officially retired last year (you’ll still find her around the office at times), “I can’t imagine retiring. I thank God every day for what we’ve got and I really enjoy what we’re doing. We represent some great manufacturers and we’ve got a great territory.” His father added, “It’s not work to him because he enjoys it.” Baugh agreed with the long-term business outlook. “I’m really thankful my parents stuck with the business through all the ups and downs and afforded us the opportunity to have a good place to work. It’s great to work with family; we’re all around for the long haul.”

year after year,” Baugh said. To thank customers, vendors, and manufacturers, B-C Equipment gives out hundreds of tickets and holds their own festivities in conjunction with the rodeo. Each year, in addition to hosting a barbecue or fish fry, they invite local workers to participate in a crane operators rodeo at their Corpus Christi office.

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Bill Lathrop Jr. and Sr. with Don Gay, 8 time World Champion Bull Rider.

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New San Antonio office building groundbreaking ceremony, Bart Nelms, Developer, Bill and Cathy Lathrop and Bill Lathrop, Sr.

Al Niece, Hunter Lathrop, Bill Lathrop Jr., Marty Berry, and Bill Lathrop, Sr. Open House 2015.