Duncan Murphy

Duncan Murphy brings a professional approach to his duties as 2009 president of the Material Handling Equipment Distributors Association (MHEDA) and president of forklift dealership Riekes Equipment Co.

Flexible in the difficult economy, the trade group is addressing member needs. "MHEDA will constantly update its 2009 program content to address current marketplace conditions," Murphy says. "We will update everything to make the content pertinent to the topics at hand."

Omaha-based Riekes Equipment has five full forklift operations and four service centres in four states in the central US and is a frequent recipient of the annual Yale dealer of excellence award.

In addition to the Yale line from Nacco Industries Inc's materials handling group, the Riekes firm markets and services Bendi forklifts from Landoll Corp, Genie scissor lifts from Terex Corp, and rough terrain and truck-mounted forklifts from Sellick Equipment Ltd.

Murphy grew up in Omaha and received a Bachelor of Science degree in politics and economics from Princeton University in Princeton, New Jersey in 1974.

While focusing on business management and marketing functions, Murphy keeps his eye on the metrics including finances and goal measurement. To keep his finger on the pulse, Murphy, 56, personally signs all cheques at Riekes.

As a leader, he says his style is to ask questions, listen carefully and act decisively.

Among his sports interests, Murphy cheers for the University of Nebraska Cornhuskers' football team and the Creighton University Bluejays' basketball team. "College athletes have infectious enthusiasm," he says. "I always come away feeling good."

He responds to the nicknames Murf and, from his buddies at the golf course, Heinz, and he has a collection of forklift toys including his favourite, a 50-year-old stainless steel skid loader. Other hobbies include cooking and wine appreciation.

Murphy and his wife, Rozanne, have a chocolate-coloured Labrador Retriever, enjoy biking and hiking and spend spare time at a place in Colorado.

Rozanne Murphy is curriculum specialist at Omaha Bryan High School. Under a recent career-cluster grant, she developed an industrial education curriculum in transportation distribution and logistics, initially in September 2008 for ninth grade students with the intention of going up a grade level with program additions in successive academic years. Riekes Equipment is one resource for the program.

The company has a rich history.

Samuel Riekes began recycling bottles in a barn in 1900. A son-in-law, Mort Richards, started selling two-wheel hand trucks in 1936 for customers to move cases of bottles in a plant. Before long, those sales included four-wheel platform trucks, casters and conveyors.

The firm delivered several Yale low-lift pallet trucks during World War II and, post-war, the first Yale electric lift truck sold in Nebraska. In 1959, the business split into two separately owned entities under S. Riekes and Sons for the container division and Riekes Equipment for the forklift and equipment division.

Alco Standard Corp of Cleveland, Ohio owned both entities beginning in 1973 and, in April 1984, sold Riekes Equipment to Omaha investors Tom Clark and John Houlihan. Murphy came on board as a partner in August 1984 and was named president in 1986 succeeding Robert E Schaap, a key player since 1946.

Schaap was influential in extending the reach of Riekes Equipment during 1973 through creation of a branch in Lincoln, Nebraska and opening of a new facility in Sioux City, Iowa. During Murphy's tenure, the firm in 1992 created a branch in Grand Island, Nebraska and acquired the operation of Nordstrom Equipment in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.

The firm also operates service centres in Fargo, North Dakota; McCook and Columbus, Nebraska; and Rapid City, South Dakota.

A setback occurred on 23 August 1993. A recently installed defective transformer caused a fire that destroyed the entire Omaha headquarters site. An interim facility was operational within two days, and a permanent efficiency-enhanced location opened in late 1994 after an investment of USD2.4 million, of which insurance paid about one-half.

Riekes Equipment incorporates technology advances in its operations. An extensive training regime involves each employee for an average of more than 100 hours per year.

Riekes utilises the Yale Fleet Management formula to analyse a prospective customer's material handling operations - without obligation. Then Riekes uses the Yale "5R" process to rationalise whether the customer should retain, repair, replace, retire or redeploy equipment.

During different terms, Murphy served as president of the national and central region boards of Yale dealers.

Over several years, Murphy worked his way through the elected offices within MHEDA (pronounced "maheeda"). He notes that the Vernon Hills, Illinois-based association operates largely through member-driven committees that focus on education, networking, membership and industry advocacy.

In the education area, the extensive 2009 MHEDA university-type offerings include five live events in Illinois, Ohio, Indiana and California, 15 sales and service webinars, 12 sales training podcasts, 22 online customer service training courses and four customer service webinars for front-line employees. Principal planning occurred from September through December to create the MHEDA calendar for 2009, Murphy observes. MHEDA is incorporating timely content upgrades as needed.

The networking committee organises bimonthly one-hour MHEDA Net teleconferences for about 28 groups, each involving six to eight peers who share ideas, viewpoints and experiences. Participants have similar job responsibilities and work for a variety of companies.

The industry advocacy committee effort includes the MHEDA Gateway program, which has a website, seeks to link university students, academic advisors and industry professionals and supported a classroom day during ProMat 2009 in Chicago. The aim: to provide a bridge for those considering a career in the material handling industry.

For communications, MHEDA circulates a twice monthly e-newsletter Connection, a quarterly Journal and a monthly newsletter Edge for the next generation of industry leaders.

"Our industry is somewhat invisible, and sometimes we get a feeling of inferiority compared to some more glamorous occupations," Murphy notes. "It is critical to get the word to everybody and convince them that what MHEDA has to offer is a valuable use of their time."

Murphy encourages involvement and cites the activity at his company. "Riekes Equipment becomes stronger the more we are involved and when more members of our team use what MHEDA offers," he says.

Murphy notes that MHEDA membership includes 400 independent material handling distributors-of whom about 60% deal with forklifts-out of approximately 2,500 distributors in North America. About 200 industry suppliers including equipment makers are MHEDA associate members.

Under the theme "Powerful Positioning," the association's 54th annual convention and exhibitors' showcase occurs from 2-6 May at the JW Marriott Desert Springs resort in Palm Desert, California with Murphy presiding.