Holt Cat, the Caterpillar equipment and engine dealer for South, Central, North and Northeast Texas, announced recently that its president, John David “Dave” Harris is retiring effective Jan. 1. Harris began his 20-year career with Holt Cat as a regional sales manager of Holt Ohio. After being promoted to machine division vice president, Harris was later named executive vice president and general manager before becoming president and chief operating officer in Jan. 2015.
During Harris’ leadership, Holt Cat became a top performer among Cat dealer as measured by customer satisfaction.
“Throughout his career at Holt Cat, Dave has demonstrated great leadership, with complete commitment to our company’s mission and forward-thinking vision,” said co-owner Peter J. Holt.
“A lasting part of Dave’s legacy is his commitment to Holt Cat’s Values Based Leadership culture,” said Corinna Holt Richter. “Dave has been a champion of these tools and processes and has led the company’s strong, collaborative partnership with Caterpillar.”
Peter J. and Corinna Holt, co-owners of Holt Cat, will continue to champion these principles as the next generation of Holt leadership.
“I am fortunate to have dedicated my career to a steadfast, values-driven organization like Holt Cat,” Harris said. “I have full confidence in Peter and Corinna as they continue this great legacy and lead Holt Cat into the future.”
Harris will join Peter M. Holt as a member of Holt’s advisory board.
Holt Cat sells, rents and services Caterpillar machines, engines, generators and trucks in a 118-county Texas territory. Holt Cat is No. 19 on the RER 100.
About the Author
Michael Roth
Editor
Michael Roth has covered the equipment rental industry full time for RER since 1989 and has served as the magazine’s editor in chief since 1994. He has nearly 30 years experience as a professional journalist. Roth has visited hundreds of rental centers and industry manufacturers, written hundreds of feature stories for RER and thousands of news stories for the magazine and its electronic newsletter RER Reports. Roth has interviewed leading executives for most of the industry’s largest rental companies and manufacturers as well as hundreds of smaller independent companies. He has visited with and reported on rental companies and manufacturers in Europe, Central America and Asia as well as Mexico, Canada and the United States. Roth was co-founder of RER Reports, the industry’s first weekly newsletter, which began as a fax newsletter in 1996, and later became an online newsletter. Roth has spoken at conventions sponsored by the American Rental Association, Associated Equipment Distributors, California Rental Association and other industry events and has spoken before industry groups in several countries. He lives and works in Los Angeles when he’s not traveling to cover industry events.