Former Prime Equipment CEO Tom Bennett Dies

March 12, 2016
Tom Bennett, former president and CEO of Prime Equipment Co., died March 9 in Brenham, Texas, of cancer. Bennett was born in 1943.

Tom Bennett, former president and CEO of Prime Equipment Co., died March 9 in Brenham, Texas, of cancer. Bennett was born in 1943.

Bennett, who retired from what was then Rental Service Corp. at the end of 2001, had a 37-year career in the equipment rental industry. Bennett began his rental career with A Tool Crib in Pasadena, Calif., as a yard worker and mechanic. He was hired by Houston-based Grace Equipment Co., which later changed its name to Prime Equipment Co. and later Rental Service Co., as equipment manager, helping to develop preventive maintenance and equipment procurement systems. He held positions such as facility manager for Prime's largest distribution location, regional manager, regional vice president and was promoted to president, CEO and director in 1990. Bennett guided the company throughout the 1990s. After a couple of ownership changes, Prime was acquired by Atlas Copco and Bennett was promoted to CEO of Atlas Copco's rental service business area in 1999.

Bennett was widely viewed as a unique executive in the rental industry, having worked in just about every area of the business, from yard worker and mechanic to CEO of the industry's second-largest company. Bennett has been a keynote speaker at a variety of industry forums and conventions, participated in a variety of industry steering committees and sat on the board of directors of several organizations.

Bennett retired at the end of 2001, devoting himself to the operation of his ranch and time with his family.

Bennett is survived by his wife Janie, two daughters, a son and stepson and two granddaughters.