TUCSON, Ariz. - Former rental center owner and manufacturers' rep Maury Rose died recently, RER has learned.

Rose began his rental career with Gore Equipment, a Bobcat dealer in Tucson, Ariz., and then founded Rose Equipment there, a company that specialized in the sale and rental of skid-steer loaders, manufacturers' rep Phil Foster of Certified Marketing in Irving, Texas, told RER.

After running Rose Equipment for about 15 years, Rose sold that company in the late 1970s and went to work for Mark Industries where he met Foster. Rose and Foster then founded their own rep firm called Foster Rose & Associates in the Dallas area. Rose eventually returned to his home state of Arizona and managed a U.S. Rentals branch in Phoenix. He later managed the Phoenix branch of Tucson-based Aero Rentals, where he remained until shortly before his death.

"Maury was a giant of a man, about 6-8," recalled Foster. "He had a giant personality as well."

Rose is survived by his wife Lori and eight children.