Alta Equipment Company, a leading provider of construction equipment in North America, has presented the SUNY Cobleskill Foundation with a gift totaling $200,000 to be put toward scholarships for students entering the College’s Diesel Technology and Power Machinery, programs. Representatives from Alta presented the Foundation with an oversized check celebrating the gift at SUNY Cobleskill’s Annual Scholarship Luncheon on November 17.
Alta owns and operates one of the largest integrated equipment dealership platforms in the U.S. Through its branch network, the Company sells, rents, and provides parts and service support for several categories of specialized equipment. Alta has operated as an equipment dealership for 36 years and has developed a branch network that includes 54 total locations across Michigan, Illinois, Indiana, New England, New York, Virginia, and Florida.
“One of our core values is ‘investing in the best.’ Our industry is growing at a rate that puts skilled technicians in short supply. It’s also an aging workforce so we make it our mission to support programs that develop young, talented technicians who will be the future of our industry,” said Jim Strigle, vice president of customer support at Alta. “We’ve hired many students from SUNY Cobleskill who have gone on to be some of our best technicians and it’s important for us, as an employer in such a specialized field, to do what we can as a company to help young people with an interest in construction machinery gain the access they need to enter their career on solid footing.”
“As a long-term partner with the College’s Equipment Technology programs, Alta truly walks the walk when it comes to enterprising workforce development initiatives,” said Dr. Marion Terenzio, president of SUNY Cobleskill. “It is our common commitment to the health of our national infrastructure and the shared desire to see talented learners have the opportunities they deserve that has made our partnership so productive. We are deeply grateful for Alta’s continued endorsement of our programs and for this contribution in particular, which will mean so much to our scholarship recipients and their respective futures.”
“Alta, through its philanthropic support of our programs, stands as a beacon of hope for our students who will directly benefit from this generous gift,” said John J. Zacharek, vice president for development and executive director of the SUNY Cobleskill Foundation. “This College commits itself to provide pathways into in-demand career fields, and we sincerely thank Alta for taking the proactive initiative of investing so generously in the students that will make up the future of their industry.”
Graduates of SUNY Cobleskill’s Power Machinery (AAS) and Diesel Technology (AAS) programs obtain positions across many industries, including agriculture, construction, manufacturing, engineering, equipment retailing, and energy. Students learn through hands-on experience with the latest equipment and graduate with the knowledge to immediately enter these highly technical fields.
Photo (pictured left to right): Nick DeCaprio, Director of Development & Corporate Partnerships at SUNY Cobleskill; Jim Strigle, Vice President of Customer Support at Alta; Owen Dorman, President of SUNY Cobleskill’s Agricultural Engineering Student Club; Dr. Marion Terenzio, SUNY Cobleskill President; John J. Zacharek, Vice President for Development at SUNY Cobleskill and Executive Director of the SUNY Cobleskill Foundation; Nick Testa, Associate Professor of Agricultural Engineering.
About Alta Equipment Group Inc.
Alta owns and operates one of the largest integrated equipment dealership platforms in the U.S. Through its branch network, the Company sells, rents, and provides parts and service support for several categories of specialized equipment. Alta has operated as an equipment dealership for 38 years and has developed a branch network that includes over 65 total locations across Michigan, Illinois, Indiana, New England, New York, Virginia, Florida, Ohio, Ontario, and Quebec. Alta offers its customers a one-stop-shop for their equipment needs through its broad, industry-leading product portfolio. More information can be found at www.altaequipment.com.
