Edward Latek

Edward Latek, Latek Capital, Lake Forest, Ill.

Upon graduating from college in 1963, Edward Latek joined his family’s tool rental business in the south suburbs of Chicago, using it as a base from which he built Latek Rental Co. into a major multi-location construction equipment rental business. He took his knowledge and experience in rental to begin the development of Reli Financial Corp., a rental-specific commercial finance company in the early 1970s. After experiencing accelerated growth, Reli underwent consolidation during the mid-1980s and Latek sold the business to a life insurance company in 1986.

Latek continued to realize the need for financial services in the industry and following his retirement from Reli, he embarked on another mission in the early 1990s and founded Latek Capital Corp. The company’s goal was to provide professional mergers and acquisitions, divestitures, advisory and valuation services to small and mid-size equipment rental and rental-related firms.

Since its founding, Latek Capital has established a demonstrated record of successfully assisting the rental industry through its first major ownership transition and the development of equity capital. Leveraging its 45 years of rental experience, the firm is well positioned to confidentially bring together well organized, profitable, growing rental organizations with private equity groups, corporate entities, and high net worth families and individuals seeking to invest in the ever-expanding industry.

Throughout his career, Latek was an active American Rental Association (ARA) member, serving as president of ARA of Illinois, Region Five director on the national board and chair of the Education Committee — among other positions. He built his rental network and his passion for the industry as he established a national profile.