Robert Woods, president, Woods Machinery, Freehold, N.J., has been elected to the ARA of New Jersey board of directors.
As a second-generation business owner, Woods brings a keen understanding of business management and equipment rental to the collective knowledge of the board.
“My involvement in my parents’ compact equipment business, Garden State Bobcat, commenced at the age of 14,” Woods says. “Early in my career I worked part time in the summers and assisted the rental, parts, service and sales departments within the dealership. I obtained a Bachelor of Arts in business management from St. John’s University. After earning my degree, I returned to work for the family business in outside sales. After a few years of outside sales, I assumed internal roles within the business and have held the positions of rental manager, sales manager and vice president. In 2008 I acquired the business from my parents and have remained president since.”
Woods credits his new role on the ARA of New Jersey board team to contacts gained through other professional groups to which he belongs.
“I am active in industry organizations such as the American Rental Association [ARA], the Associated Equipment Dealers [AED] and Dealer20 Groups, which has provided the opportunity to network with a large amount of professionals within the rental industry. Through a Dealer20 Group I belong to, I was introduced to Josh Nickell, ARA vice president, equipment segment. Josh learned that the ARA of New Jersey board of directors was seeking a new member and he recommended contacting me.”
Woods says he answered the call to serve because “rental continues to grow rapidly and is a very exciting and opportunistic business. I am happy to participate in the growth of the rental industry.”
During his tenure on the board, Woods plans to lean on his industry expertise while working with his peers to help rental operators in the state address one of the most pressing issues of the moment. “I want to help tackle the shortage of technicians and skilled labor within the industry,” he says.