Photo by Equipment Depot
Equipment Depot Anthony Garcia 650fa8ac601ec

Anthony Garcia Takes Over as President of Forklift Rental Specialist Equipment Depot

Sept. 24, 2023
Garcia is succeeding president and CEO, David O. Turner, departing after 12 years at the helm.

Equipment Depot, a Houston-based rental company specializing in material handling rental, announced Anthony Garcia has been appointed president by the company’s board of directors, beginning September 11. Garcia is succeeding president and CEO, David O. Turner, departing after 12 years at the helm.

Garcia joined Equipment Depot in 2022 as the regional vice president of the South Region. Previously, Garcia spent 15 years in managerial and executive roles at Mammoet, a Dutch heavy lifting and transportation service company. Most recently, he served as regional vice president of Mammoet Americas, overseeing the $250 million U.S. and Mexico business. Anthony has a mechanical engineering degree from Texas A&M and an MBA from DePaul University.

Turner exits after successfully integrating five new companies into the Equipment Depot fold, reaching more than 50 nationwide locations, creating numerous new sub-business units — all at a time when the company has reached all-time record-breaking milestones in sales and employee satisfaction.

“Over the past 12 years, I have been privileged to be a part of the transformational journey and to have seen the extraordinary passion, commitment, and drive to be the best service organization from our people,” said Turner, “As our recent performance shows, it is clear we are delivering, and after significant investments, Equipment Depot is well positioned to generate consistent, strong returns.”

“Since joining Equipment Depot in 2022, Anthony has made a positive contribution to the South Texas and Louisiana regions with his strong business instincts, leadership skills, and work ethic,” said Ken Barina, president of Mitsubishi Logisnext Americas Inc., Equipment Depot’s U.S. parent company. “Anthony has also brought a renewed sense of focus and excitement to these critically important growth regions. We look forward to his leadership as Equipment Depot charts its course into the future.”

Garcia sees technology playing a more significant role in Equipment Depot. “The industry is in a state of unprecedented technological advancement. From how automation, electrification, robotics, and AI are playing a role, the potential to reshape the landscape is at our fingertips — and I envision Equipment Depot being on the forefront.” Garcia said, “Investing in our people is critical as well. They are our greatest asset, and advancing their skills is an important part of the equation. We must also preserve the strong culture we have created while living our core values every day.”

About the Author

Michael Roth | Editor

Michael Roth has covered the equipment rental industry full time for RER since 1989 and has served as the magazine’s editor in chief since 1994. He has nearly 30 years experience as a professional journalist. Roth has visited hundreds of rental centers and industry manufacturers, written hundreds of feature stories for RER and thousands of news stories for the magazine and its electronic newsletter RER Reports. Roth has interviewed leading executives for most of the industry’s largest rental companies and manufacturers as well as hundreds of smaller independent companies. He has visited with and reported on rental companies and manufacturers in Europe, Central America and Asia as well as Mexico, Canada and the United States. Roth was co-founder of RER Reports, the industry’s first weekly newsletter, which began as a fax newsletter in 1996, and later became an online newsletter. Roth has spoken at conventions sponsored by the American Rental Association, Associated Equipment Distributors, California Rental Association and other industry events and has spoken before industry groups in several countries. He lives and works in Los Angeles when he’s not traveling to cover industry events.