Rodney Usrey is our Director of Warehouse Operations. He has been with RPI Rentals since its inception in 2021 and has been in the industry for almost 30 years. Get to know him in 7 questions:
What is your role and how long have you been with RPI Rentals?
I started with Hoar Construction and worked as a superintendent for almost 10 years, focusing primarily on the heavy equipment. I am certified in crane operation and hold a NCCCO license. When RPI Rentals opened in October 2021, I shifted to serving this team and have been here since. I’m now the Director of Warehouse Operations.
How did you get started in this industry?
I started in the industry in 1996. I was doing the same type of heavy equipment work for projects all over the country, but predominantly in the southeast.
What does your day to day look like?
My whole day involves equipment rentals. I schedule equipment needs for projects across our footprint. Wherever Hoar Construction or our external partners are working, I schedule any equipment or machinery the projects need.
What are some industry tips and tricks you’ve picked up over the years?
Rely on the experts. It’s important to know who the experts are in your field and to build up a network of contacts you can turn to when you need them. Spend time in the field and on jobsites to understand project complexity, what it takes to do the jobs, to build the buildings, to handle material and meet schedule demands. On the heavy equipment side of things, it is especially important to spend time on jobsites to learn all the different facets of projects and figure out what type of equipment is used in what type of projects.
What’s your favorite thing about working at RPI?
I love that every day is different. I have the opportunity to work on lots of different projects with different demands. Different needs mean different equipment, so on any given day, I could be helping contractors source anything from generators to scissor lifts to temporary water access.
What’s the coolest project you’ve been part of since starting at RPI Rentals?
The Broadwest in Nashville. It was very unique and very fun. RPI supplied two of the four tower cranes, each of which climbed to a final hook height of nearly 600 feet each. I also enjoyed working on the Moore office building in Nashville. On that project, we got to use one of our tower cranes in a free standing, 300-foot configuration. Once the project was finished, we had to figure out how to take the tower crane down, as it stood through the building. It was a little bit stressful until the last piece came out.
Why do you think contractors and construction companies should choose RPI Rentals?
We truly are a contractor’s one stop shop for everything they may need. We don’t just take care of forklifts or certain machines—we handle everything A to Z. We also have an incredible amount of experience and versatility with equipment. When you choose RPI, you’re getting a team that are all truly experts at what we do and can provide you with the best possible service, guidance and consultation for your project.