gmhTODAY 30 gmhTODAY April June 2020s | Page 23

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.” 23