Stephenson’s Rental Services Names Rob Wilson President and CEO; Guy Manuel to Executive Chairman
Stephenson’s Rental Services announced that chief operating officer Rob Wilson has been appointed president and CEO, and that current president and CEO Guy Manuel will assume the role of executive chairman of the board of directors. Both appointments will take effect October 1, 2024.
“I’m proud of how far Stephenson’s has come over the last 15 years,” said Manuel. “We’ve 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.”
Manuel has served as president and CEO since 2009 and as chairman of the board since 2017. Under his leadership, the Stephenson’s team has grown significantly, as have opportunities for team members to develop and advance their careers. As executive chairman, he will continue his support of the company’s long-term strategic plan of aggressive growth that has been the hallmark of his tenure as president and CEO.
“I am grateful to Guy, the board and my colleagues for the confidence they have placed in me,” said Wilson. “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.”
Wilson began his career with Stephenson’s in 2002, excelling at different roles of increasing responsibility within the company. He joined the leadership team in 2011 as vice president of fleet services and was promoted to chief operating officer in 2019. Before joining Stephenson’s, Wilson worked as a management consultant for Carpedia International and earned undergraduate degrees from Western University and University of Windsor, and a Masters from University of Victoria.
Stephenson’s Rental Services is headquartered in Mississauga, Ontario, Canada, in the Greater Toronto Area. A long-time RER 100 listee, Stephenson’s is No. 21 on the RER 100.
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.