Tom Kirchhoff Jr., co-owner of Cleveland Brothers Equipment Co., dies after a battle with Lou Gehrig's disease.
Tom Kirchhoff Jr., co-owner of Cleveland Brothers Equipment Co., dies after a battle with Lou Gehrig's disease.
Tom Kirchhoff Jr., co-owner of Cleveland Brothers Equipment Co., dies after a battle with Lou Gehrig's disease.
Tom Kirchhoff Jr., co-owner of Cleveland Brothers Equipment Co., dies after a battle with Lou Gehrig's disease.
Tom Kirchhoff Jr., co-owner of Cleveland Brothers Equipment Co., dies after a battle with Lou Gehrig's disease.

Cleveland Brothers Co-Owner Tom Kirchhoff Jr. Dies

March 24, 2015
Tom Kirchhoff Jr., co-owner of Cleveland Brothers Equipment Co., Caterpillar dealer in western Pennsylvania, died recently after battling ALS (Lou Gehrig’s disease) for four and a half years.

Tom Kirchhoff Jr., co-owner of Cleveland Brothers Equipment Co., Caterpillar dealer in western Pennsylvania, died recently after battling ALS (Lou Gehrig’s disease) for four and a half years. Kirchhoff was a third-generation owner, sharing the leadership with his cousin Jay Cleveland Jr.

Kirchhoff, who was 44, joined Cleveland Brothers in 1994 as a management trainee and later led the sales and marketing teams. In 1997, Kirchhoff was made responsible for the development of Cleveland Brothers’ rental services division, CB Rents.

In 2,000, Kirchhoff was named executive vice president, responsible for sales and marketing functions of Caterpillar general line products, as well as CB Rents and CB Con-Agg. He became chief operating officer in 2004, and was named dealer principal by Caterpillar in 2004. In 2005, Kirchhoff, together with Cleveland, acquired Beckwith Machinery Co., which doubled the company in size.

Kirchhoff is the son of William Kirchhoff, former Cleveland Brothers chairman, and the grandson of Royal Cleveland, founder of Cleveland Brothers Equipment Co.

Kirchhoff was diagnosed with ALS in 2010 and continued to work and be active for a long period.

Before joining Cleveland Brothers, Kirchhoff was a star football player at Lafayette College, where he was quarterback and was inducted into the Lafayette College Sports Hall of Fame in November 2012. After college, he signed a professional contract with the Philadelphia Eagles. He played on the Eagles summer and practice squads.

Kirchhoff served on the board of directors for various organizations including Project ALS, Harrisburg Area YMCA, and the Associated Pennsylvania Constructors. He was recognized by the Pennsylvania Aggregates and Concrete Association with the Ambassador of the Industry Hall of Fame induction in 2014.

Kirchhoff is survived by his wife Staci, and four children, Tommy, Sam, Brynley and Ty.

Memorial contributions can be made to: Project ALS, 801 Riverside Dr., Suite 6G, New York, NY 10032; The Institute for EthnoMedicine – Attn: Marilyn Asay at P.O. Box 3464, Jackson, WY 83001; and the Hospice for All Seasons, 280 S. Hill Dr., Grantville, PA 17028.