C
resco Equipment Rentals is
more than a rental company.
They’re a part of the com-
munity. They participate
through sponsorships and
donations and by lending equipment to youth
sports teams, Eagle Scouts, churches, schools and
other organizations.
“If Cresco can be part of a solution, we
will be,” said Chris Smith, Cresco's President.
“Cresco lives by a simple credo that one never
need ask permission to do the right thing.”
Branch Manager Cary Zink is tall and sol-
idly built with a well-trimmed salt and pepper
goatee and long hair pulled into a neat pony-
tail tucked behind a Bluetooth earpiece. He’s
easygoing with a ready smile and hearty laugh;
he sits relaxed in his small cubicle of an office.
Things are humming: phones ring at the front
counter and at his desk. He takes a call while
consulting his computer.
“The biggest thing here is the fact that we
can,” Cary said. “This is a different career than
I’ve had from any other company I’ve worked
for. The company, through Chris Smith’s
vision, is that kind of place. We always have
people approaching us—we’ll do whatever we
can. I don’t have to ask permission about it. I
just go ahead and do it.”
Cresco Equipment Rentals in Gilroy pri-
marily serves large public and private con-
struction projects though they have a good
selection of sale and rental tools for the home-
owner.
“The bulk of our business is clients who
know what they want and need and just get
it. But when homeowners come in and need
guidance, we can help with an issue, give
advice, and sometimes they may not require a
rental at all,” Cary said.
Kelsey Jackson has been Cresco’s cus-
tomer service representative for two years. She
answers phones and works the front counter.
“Cresco is an awesome company that takes
care of everyone we encounter and treats
them like family,” she said. “Once, a customer
changed his order last minute while our driver
was already en route. I found what he needed
at one of our other stores; they got the equip-
ment ready, and my driver was happy to pick
up the new equipment and deliver it to the
happy customer. This company is so awesome
because everyone helped to make it happen.”
“I have a plaque in my house,” Cary said.
“I don’t usually go for these kinds of things,
but it says ‘Make today the best day of your
life,’ and to me, that makes sense. That’s the
way I’ve always felt.” He is a little surprised
about the recognition his store has received
because he feels it should just be the natural
order of things.
“The things we do—I don’t feel that it’s
anything special, just something anybody
would do given the opportunity. I’ve always
lived that way.”
When it comes to hiring, Cary looks for
people who have an open mind.
“It’s not anything special about what we do,
it’s more about how we do it. Our people here
get that. We’re here to solve problems. We
have some fantastic people here. These people
are my friends. They’re a family.”
“Kelsey, where’s that bottle?” he calls
through his open door. He goes to her station,
brings back a bottle of over-the-counter cold
medicine. Several people are recovering from
colds, and, for some reason, they’ve blamed
Kelsey—who doesn’t have a cold. The bottle
has a hand-written label “Kel-C.” “We’re tak-
ing this for ‘protection’ against Kelsey,” he said
jokingly, loud enough for her to hear.
Douglas White, owner of Doug White
Construction and a customer of Gilroy Cresco,
said, “I’ve been doing business with Cresco
since they opened in the early 2000’s. The
employees are happy, they have good attitudes
and are friendly. Cresco has been one hundred
percent supportive of the community. They
supply equipment for virtually every Gilroy
event that is held here, much of it donated.
Community service to Cresco is just part
of doing business. It’s a core value of the
company.”
“The award is great,” Cary said. “But to me,
there shouldn’t be any special recognition. It
should be that way every day of the year. I
just enjoy doing it. We should just always be
looking for the best thing to do.”
GILROY • MORGAN HILL • SAN MARTIN
SPRING 2020
gmhtoday.com
“The Gilroy Chamber, the
business community, events
and people of Gilroy have al-
ways made us feel important.
We are offered opportunities
to rent on large public sector
projects and also help with
people’s personal homes and
property. In Gilroy, we feel
supported and safe doing our
business.”
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