Helping Customers Find Solutions is What Drives RMS Rentals Shop Foreman Dave Oldenburg

Building a successful team starts with people that are not only dedicated to their craft, but also truly care about their customers. In short, it starts with people like RMS Rentals Shop Foreman Dave Oldenburg.

“I really love troubleshooting and working on problems. Knowing that I helped a customer and seeing them come back again and again is what makes it all worthwhile for me,” said Dave.

For 27 years, Dave has been honing his craft. His career began at Lull Industries in 1994 and worked his way from the assembly line to quality control and then to service. When Lull moved its operation out of the Twin Cities area, he started Highlift Equipment Company, Inc., with Jim Hoogervorst, Mark Tieben, and Dean Oseby.

“We start in 2002 and focused on forklift repair, parts and service,” recalled Dave. “There was nobody in the metro area that really took care of the little guy, so we felt like there was an opportunity to do that and be successful.”

And they were. For four years, the operation developed a strong reputation for customer service and continued to grow. Eventually, Highlift Equipment caught the attention of Road Machinery & Supplies Co.

“We had a good, four-year run, and then Mike (Sill II) contacted us,” said Dave. “He ended up purchasing the company, and Mark, Dean, and myself went to work at RMS Rentals.”

Since January of 2006, Dave has called RMS Rentals home. He spent the first 12 years as a service technician and has been Shop Foreman since 2018. Both Dean and Mark have retired.

“I love being a part of the operation here and dealing with customers,” said Dave. “Working with long-time customers and meeting new ones is fun. Building those relationships and helping them be successful is why I do this.”

The secret to Dave’s longevity and success is really no secret at all, he credits it to hard work and a drive to help customers.

“I think having a ‘can-do’ attitude is something that has served me well,” he continued. “There’s nothing I won’t do for a customer. Throughout my career, I’ve tried to make the best of any situation. Customers know that they can expect that out of me.”

Outside of the shop, Dave shifts his focus from helping customers and fixing equipment to spending time with his ever-growing family. He and his wife Mary have four children and five grandchildren.

“We love spending time with our kids and grandkids, doing whatever with them – hunting, fishing, or just hanging out. It’s our passion,” said Dave.

The Oldenburgs are also getting pretty good at planning weddings, too. With two kids already married and a third tying the knot earlier this month, they still have one more to go. The wait won’t be very long as Dave and Mary’s youngest son, Ben, who worked summers at RMS Rentals throughout college, is getting married this fall.