Irv Levine, Pioneering Supplier to the Rental Industry, Dies at 90

Irv Levine, founder of Multiquip Inc., and an icon among suppliers to the equipment rental industry, has died. Levine died peacefully in his sleep on Nov. 30, at the age of 90. 

Levine, a native of Boston, founded Multiquip in 1973 in the Los Angeles area. He saw the growing equipment rental industry as his primary customer base and developed sales policies designed for rental companies, developing a rental-friendly delivery of its products with the rental industry in mind. Multiquip was also a regular advertiser in RER.

Kevin Day, chief operating officer, ANA Corp., got his start in the equipment business working with Multiquip and explained Levin’s impact on the rental industry:

“Irv changed the way equipment manufacturers and distributors serve rental companies, and his vision helped shape the modern rental landscape,” Day said. “Through his creativity and out-of-the-box thinking, he built one of the most respected organizations in our industry: Multiquip.”

Levine was known universally as Irv. Day shared more about his relationship with Irv: “My personal relationship with Irv goes back as far as I can remember. He was my father’s roommate in the early 1970s, and in 1973 he recognized an opportunity to import Mikasa tamping rammers — and Multiquip was born. He would go on to secure exclusive distributor agreements for Denyo generators and Terrada water pumps. The next chapters of the Multiquip story — including the acquisitions of Whiteman Industries and the remnants of Figi International (Essick Mixers and Mayco Concrete Pumps) — remain an enduring part of his legacy.

“For me, Irv was far more than an industry pioneer. He was my mentor, my teacher, and in many ways a second father. I went to work at Multiquip in the summer of 1990, and for my entire career there — and long after — I was blessed with his guidance. I know exactly how fortunate I was to have him choose to share his wisdom, his time, and his belief in what I could become. I was still bouncing ideas off of him as recently as last year.

“Some of my most formative memories are simple ones: Irv walking past my office, telling me to follow him into a meeting, instructing me to sit quietly in the corner and just listen. Those meetings would often lead to a lunch where he would ask what I heard, what I learned, and how I would have handled the situation. I didn’t realize it at the time, but those interactions were shaping the foundation of my own business acumen — lessons that have carried me through my entire career and helped me, along with my business partners Mike Niemela and Alicia Waineo, build ANA.

“Irv’s presence was enormous, his impact immeasurable. His light will continue to shine across our industry through the countless people he influenced — myself included. Irv was one of a kind, and the industry is better because he was in it.”

Levine, who worked as a comedian in Hollywood for a period of time before turning full-time to the equipment business, pioneered “Comedy Night at the ARA” at American Rental Associations annual conventions for a number of years during the 1990s. Levine brought in prominent comedians to perform and did his own comedy routine. All the proceeds were donated to cancer research and the City of Hope.

Irv is survived by his son Michael Levine, and daughters Dayna Woodard and Lori Hindman.

A graveside memorial service will be held at Green Hills Memorial Park in Rancho Palos Verdes at 11:30 am this Wednesday, December 3rd, immediately followed by a meal of condolence at Congregation Ner Tamid. Michael Levine said the service is open to anyone who wishes to attend.