Dale Asplund Steps Down as United Rentals COO; Michael Durand to Replace Him

United Rentals announced that Dale Asplund, executive vice president and chief operating officer, will be leaving the company on September 29 to take the role of president and CEO at another public company outside of the equipment rental industry. Asplund (pictured) joined United Rentals in 1998 and was named chief operating officer in 2019. He will remain in an active role with United Rentals through September 29 to ensure a smooth transition to Michael Durand, who is being promoted to chief operating officer.

Durand joined United Rentals in 2002 as a branch manager and has held roles of increasing scope through the present, including district manager, region vice president, and his current role of senior vice president of sales and operations. Durand has been an integral leader across all aspects of sales and operations at United Rentals, including the company’s go-to-market strategy, large acquisition integrations, operations strategy, and operational excellence. He has built strong and enduring relationships within United Rentals and its customer base over his more than two-decade career.

“We expect this to be a seamless transition between two seasoned leaders who have worked closely together for many years,” said United Rentals CEO Matthew Flannery. “Mike is a proven leader whose numerous contributions have delivered strong results across the company. I’m confident that his operational expertise and demonstrated ability to lead our business will play a key role in our continued focus to drive profitable growth and generate shareholder value.

“We deeply appreciate Dale’s truly extraordinary contributions to making United Rentals the company it is today. On a personal note, I want to thank Dale for his incredible partnership, leadership, and commitment to our employees and shareholders.”