03.11.2021

Orville E. ‘Tudy’ Bakner 1946 - 2021

We have received the sad news that former Grove crane demonstrator Orville Bakner has died aged 75. He passed away in a Chambersburg, Pennsylvania hospital on Tuesday November 2nd following complications from Covid-19, in spite of being fully vaccinated.
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Orville Bakner

Born in Waynesboro, Pennsylvania, he remained in the area all his life and joined local company Grove Manufacturing in Shady Grove in 1968. This was a pivotal year in the company’s history, having been acquired by Kidde at the start, quickly followed by the promotion of sales manager J. Martin Benchoff to chief executive. Most importantly however, the company launched the first 'swing-cab' Rough Terrain crane, which helped propel the company out in front of other crane makers, most of which were still focused on lattice boom mechanical cranes. More critically, it signed the eventual death knell for the popular cab down RTs from Galion and Pettibone that sold in their thousands back then and were a mainstay material handling machine in the oil & gas industry.
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Orville Bakner doing the job he loved

It soon became clear that Bakner had a talent for operating cranes, one that he honed and perfected over the years, becoming the company’s demonstration operator. So effective were the plant visits and demonstrations to the Shady Grove facility, that a dedicated customer demonstration pad and observation tower were built and his job as a demonstrator became full time. Customers from around the world visited, with one or two ‘visitations’ a day keeping the pad, its tower and Orville Bakner busy throughout the year.
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Orville Bakner at the controls

His skills impressed many a visitor, a typical demonstration would involve telescoping a load out to its maximum radius within the stability area of the chart, measure it, and then take it out until the crane's rear outriggers lifted clear of the ground and the load was deposited on the ground. He would then gently bring it back within the load chart and elevate the extended loaded boom from horizontal, a feat not possible on some manufacturers offerings. This was followed by a slick and rapid installation of the swingaway extension and stowage. If it was a Rough Terrain crane, he would do what he called a ‘Dog and Pony' show, essentially driving the crane in a figure of eight to demonstrate its four wheel steer, while rotating the superstructure in the other direction. How he managed to keep pace with where he was on the pad or not become dizzy, no one really knows. All the while the salesman would be describing the features and benefits that were being displayed. Short wave radio contact would allow any special requests. At the end of the ‘show’ he would exit the crane and stand by it, with rigger’s gloves in hand.
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Orville Bakner

Inevitably the customer would want to go down to the test pad to look over the machine themselves. They would tend to drop the salesman and head straight to Orville asking him about the machine etc... more often than not they would climb into the cab, and he would take them through the controls etc... Occasionally one would want to operate a little himself and he would stay alongside ready to intervene if anything looked even the slightest bit unsafe. He could also take the crane through the rough terrain area - making it look as if he was driving through a swamp, but rarely, if ever, getting stuck. If another operator was driving and got bogged down he would shake his head almost imperceptibly and try to get to the crane, and would inevitably manage to extract it without external assistance.

He became known as ‘The Crane Guy’ and probably helped the sell more cranes in the 1970s, 1980 and 1990s than all the sales team put together. His presence was increasingly requested at dealer open days and other events in order to show the cranes off in their best light and at times train their local operators on how to best demonstrate a crane while remaining safe and not going over the top. He was always utterly professional, the essence of diplomacy, good natured, patient, and a first class individual in every way. If he had any negative thoughts or comments, or was angry, few - if any - ever saw or heard it. He finally retired in 2011 after 43 years with the company.
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Bakner also featured in company brochures and films

A product of his region, he was an avid outdoors man, who enjoyed fishing, hunting trips, and spending time with family and friends. He is survived by two children, Jody and Kristi and three grandchildren on whom he apparently doted.

Long time work colleague and friend Craig Minnich was with him through the almost four weeks he was in hospital. Speaking just after he passed away, he said: “He was one of my best friends and a long time old hunting buddy with which I share many fond memories. He will be sorely missed.”

Another colleague Doyle Bryant added: “He sold more cranes and Manlifts than we will ever know. Customers and dealers loved spending time with Orville at the Demo Pad in Shady Grove and at trade shows and product introductions. He was the ultimate "Crane Guy" and crane operator.”

They express sentiments that anyone who knew him will feel on hearing this sad news.