CHICAGO - TruServ announced Jan. 10 that Tom Capalbo will be the new general manager of its rental division, a spot held by Steve Nelson who resigned in December and now heads a consulting firm in Butler, Pa.

TruServ president Don Hoye announced Capalbo's promotion at TruServ's 2000 Rental Market convention held last month in Orlando, Fla. This year's three-day annual convention attracted more than 640 vendors representing over 335 vendor members, according to Tony Sabo, senior merchandising manager. Highlights of the convention included the introduction of the company's online electronic ordering system for its storeowners.

Capalbo, a 10-year veteran at TruServ, is credited with developing the company's commercial and industrial member programs. Prior to working for the Chicago-based group, Capalbo was a hardware retail consultant in Rhode Island.

McALLEN, Texas- Tejas Equipment Rentals has acquired a facility in nearby Brownsville and plans to open a branch there at the beginning of March, owner Mark Musgrove told RER. Tejas also has an outlet in Harlingen.

Musgrove said the 15,000-square-foot facility, on a 2.5-acre lot, was an electronics retailer and is in excellent shape. "We just have to adapt it to the equipment rental business by putting in overhead doors, wash racks, security fences and adding in our counters and displays," he said.

Tejas, based here, markets to a contractor and homeowner customer base, with a solid party business as well.