Dear BTF Community,
With over 40 years in the construction equipment rental industry, Doug Dougherty has led Cooper Equipment Rentals through extraordinary growth. In this interview he talked about:
- Focus on People and Company Culture:
Cooper Equipment Rentals’ growth is driven by a strong emphasis on company culture and values. Dougherty and Darrell Cooper wanted to create an organization that attracted top talent, fostered strong relationships with customers and suppliers, and maintained a quality, values-driven environment. The company believes that by taking care of employees, they will, in turn, take care of customers, and the financial success will follow. - Overcoming Growth Challenges, Especially Financing:
Rapid growth brought challenges, particularly in financing. In 2013, Cooper Equipment Rentals partnered with SeaFort Capital, a Canadian private equity firm, to secure the capital necessary to support the company’s expansion and maintain financial stability. - Leadership Team and Maintaining a Small-Company Feel:
Despite significant growth, Cooper Equipment Rentals has managed to maintain a “small-company feel” by empowering leaders at the branch level to make decisions that are best for their customers and communities. Dougherty highlights the importance of a talented and collaborative executive team in driving the company’s success.
Enjoy,
Mark
“Cooper Equipment Rentals was formed in 1972, so we’re 53 years old now. Up until 2010, it was a relatively small, family-owned business. Gordon Cooper started the company, and his son Darrell took it over in 2003,” Dougherty shared. “We had two locations and about 20 people.”
Dougherty, who has a background in equipment rentals and private equity, partnered with Darrell in 2010 after a year of discussions. Together, they worked to create an organization that not only attracted top talent but also built lasting relationships with customers and suppliers.
“We wanted to create a company that people wanted to be a part of—to generate a buzz around Cooper Equipment Rentals, attract good employees, great customers, and strong supplier relationships. We focused on building a quality organization centered on people,” said Dougherty.
Under Dougherty and Darrell’s leadership, Cooper Equipment Rentals expanded rapidly, increasing its workforce and locations significantly.
“Since then, Cooper Equipment Rentals has grown to 89 locations across Canada, with about 1,350 people. We’ve experienced strong growth. We’re a values-based, values-driven organization,” Dougherty explained.
At the Toronto Business Transitions Forum on May 21, Dougherty will explore how Cooper Equipment Rentals has managed to sustain growth while staying true to its founding values and culture.
Despite the rapid growth, Dougherty emphasized that company culture remained a top priority. “We focus heavily on company culture—probably more than on the numbers—because we believe that if we take care of our employees, they’ll take care of our customers, and the numbers will take care of themselves.”
But the road to success wasn’t without its challenges. Like many growing companies, financing became a critical hurdle. In 2013, Cooper Equipment Rentals sought out a strategic financial partner, ultimately selling a majority stake to Canadian private equity firm SeaFort Capital. This partnership helped resolve the company’s capital access issues and allowed for continued expansion.
Beyond financing, the company also faced operational growing pains as it expanded quickly. “Sometimes it felt like we were getting stretched too thin, so we had to pause, regroup, and re-center on our values,” he noted.
Looking ahead, Dougherty is optimistic about Cooper’s future and its leadership team. “It really takes a village to build what we’ve built. We’ve been able to maintain a small-company feel, empowering leaders in each branch to make decisions that are right for their customers and communities,” he said.
Mario Toneguzzi is a veteran of the media industry for more than 40 years and named in 2021 and 2024 a Top Ten Business Journalist in the world and only Canadian. He also made the RETHINK’s global list as a Top Retail Expert 2024 and 2025.