Meet the Service Manager

Marty Jenkins

Born and raised in central New York, Marty went to SUNY Pottsdam and got a degree in Geology but during summers, he worked for a construction company— “Always liked being outside and working on equipment!” Like many of his counterparts at Milton CAT he started in the parts department, behind the counter actually, where he enjoyed customer contact, and the feeling of being able to help someone and, as he puts it, “Making the difficult happen.” In March of '99 he became field service dispatcher, and in 2002 he bacame a truck shop mechanic; oil and gas business and Sullair air compressors would then be added to his responsibilities. Marty acted as Syracus and Binghamton's service manager and is now Batavia’s service manager. When asked how has the job of a service tech changed, he mentions that it has become more technical and computer driven. “With the equipment becoming specialized, so too has the job.”

For Marty, the devil’s in the details and rather than seeing someone concerned about being fast, he’s a big believer in staying focused. One thing’s for sure; he would never ask anyone to do something he wouldn’t be willing to do himself, whether it’s working outside in a chill, rainy day, or going to Mexico to fix a customer’s problem, because as he says, “Never put your men in a position that you wouldn’t put yourself in.” Other than that, Marty summarizes his philosophy very succinctly; “I let them do their jobs and if they have problems I am here.”

Marty believes that one big advantage of working at the Milton CAT service shops is that they have a wide range of customers with very different challenges. To prove that point, he tells two interesting stories. In one case, a bus full of Japanese tourists stopped for repairs at the Syracuse location; they couldn’t find anyone willing to take them in but the Milton CAT Syracuse team did, “Even thought the truck didn’t even have a CAT engine!” Communication was not easy, but what needed to be done happened, and away they went, with a very good first hand experience of American hospitality.

The second case involved a couple who stopped at the service shop at end of the day; they had a baby with them, and the Syracuse crew could tell that the truck was not just their livelihood, it was their home, too. Work was rescheduled to accommodate their emergency and everyone came together to give a hand. Marty tells of technicians who would share their lunches with the couple, pretending they had brought too much food anyway and how at night, the truck would be pushed to the parking lot, so the couple and their baby could sleep in. The truck was fixed, the bill was paid, and off they went. “It’s what we do,” shrugs Marty, but you can tell he’s proud of how his team comes through.

Meet the Service Manager

Marty Jenkins

Why Work Here