Canadian rental company Stephenson’s Rental Services has promoted its chief operating officer Rob Wilson to chief executive, taking over from Guy Manuel who moves to the role of executive chairman after 15 years in the job. The change over will formally take place at the end of the month.
Wilson joined Stephenson’s in 2002 as general manager service and repair after two years as a management consultant with Carpedia International. In 2005 he was promoted to director of corporate standards and fleet director two years later, followed by vice president of fleet services in 2011 with the move to chief operating officer coming in 2019.
Rob Wilson
Manuel joined the company as chief executive in 2009 from printer and packaging company TC Transcontinental where he had been president for six years. He added the role of chairman in 2017. As executive chairman, he will support Wilson to maintain the company’s long term strategic growth plans.
Guy Manuel
Manuel said: “I am proud of how far Stephenson’s has come over the last 15 years. We have expanded our business significantly and now operate in more communities than ever, providing our customers with the equipment they need to get the job done right. I am thrilled that we will have Rob leading us into this next chapter. He has brought tremendous leadership, discipline and strategic insight to our operations and I look forward to supporting him and the entire team as we move forward.”
Wilson added: “I am grateful to Guy, the board and my colleagues for the confidence they have placed in me. Guy’s leadership has been invaluable and has set a high standard. My focus is on building on the strong foundation that he established and continuing to drive our growth. I know that our team is our greatest asset, and I remain dedicated to ensuring that every team member feels valued and empowered to contribute to our shared success.”
Stephenson’s Rental Services was founded by Elgin Stephenson in 1954 when he converted his garage into a workshop offering engine repairs in Welland, Ontario. As the business grew companies would bring their equipment to him for repair, renting in machines while their units were repaired. Spotting the opportunity, he added his own rental service, and the rest, as they say is history. Today the company is based in Mississauga, Ontario, Canada, in the Greater Toronto Area and operates from 25 locations with almost 750 employees.
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