07.04.2026

Three new chiefs for Sims

US based Simms Crane & Equipment has promoted Derek Sather, Curtis Taylor and Mike Kuffermann to senior executive positions in order to support “the company’s commitment to safety, operational excellence, and long term growth.

Derek Sather takes on the role of chief risk officer, with responsibility for risk management, compliance programmes, insurance strategy, contractual oversight, and ‘Sims University’. He joined the company in 2020 as vice president, risk management & safety. His crane career began in the late 1990s, and over the next 12 years, he moved up through the ranks at a number of crane rental companies as a crane operator, salesman, lift planner, and crane inspector. Then in 2012, he became a master instructor with the International Union of Operating Engineers. After eight years in the role, he left for insurance company NBIS, which ran a specialist Crane and Rigging insurance programme, where he was appointed assistant vice president risk management, leaving the following year for Sims. He has also been an active member on NCCCO and ASME committees.

Mike Kuffermann has been promoted to chief sales officer, with responsibility for leading Sims’ sales strategy and growth initiatives. A second generation of his family to work with Sims, Kuffermann joined the company full-time at the start of 2009 when he was appointed strategic operations manager. Over the next 14 years, he took on increasingly senior roles to become vice president, fleet operations, in 2023 and now chief sales officer.

Curtis Taylor has been appointed chief business operations officer, with responsibility for overseeing business analytics, reporting, and data driven transformation initiatives across operations, billing, and customer engagement. A relative newcomer to the crane industry, he joined Sims in 2024 as director of data sciences. He began his career in 2008 with Canadian pipe coating, corrosion protection and insulation manufacturer Shawcor, starting out as a desktop support analyst and moving up through the organisation to become ERP manager, before moving to DLS Information Systems in 2016 as senior business systems analyst. In 2018 he left for a similar role at Canyon Tech and was then appointed client success manager - service & asset management when it became Astra Canyon Group, making the move to Sims in late 2024.

Chief executive Deborah Weber said: “As we continue raising the standard across our industry, these leaders represent the very best of Sims. Each brings a unique strength that supports our mission to deliver unmatched quality, strengthen our culture, and position Sims for the future. They reflect the strength of our people and our commitment to building leaders from within. At Sims, safety, innovation, and teamwork are not just values, they are how we operate every day.”

Founded in 1959, Tampa, Florida based Sims Crane & Equipment operates from 15 outlets in Florida, Tampa, Broward, Fort Myers, Jacksonville, Lake City, Miami, Mulberry, Ocala, Orlando, Panama City, Pinellas, Space Coast, Tallahassee, Vero Beach and West Palm Beach. Along with a location in Atlanta, Georgia.