INDUSTRIES

Green Acres Excavating: It Runs in the Family

Jerry Major, owner and operator at Green Acres Excavating, had a pretty good idea that his son, Jerry Jr., would follow in his footsteps, even from an early age.

“My son's been working with me since he was able to walk, basically, and has always showed an interest,” says Jerry.

How Green Acres Excavating Got Its Start

The elder Jerry has been operating equipment for 30-plus years, and in business for 28, first with a garden center business and now with an excavation company. Jerry Jr. was the inspiration behind making the shift to excavation.

“I'd been in the garden center business for about 25 years and kind of getting burnt out,” says Jerry. “He always showed an interest in the heavier equipment, liked to move dirt, dig holes, so it seemed natural.”

The elder Jerry saw the potential in his son, and felt an investment in his future career would pay off.

“When he was playing with all these toys, he was getting ready to graduate high school,” says Jerry. “I bought him a brand-new Cat^® 306 Excavator. And it’s been a very good move. He’s the kind of kid that understands what that means and took it to the next level.”

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Jerry Jr. Puts in the Work

His investment paid off, and Jerry Jr., now 21 years old, is owner and operator alongside his father at Green Acres.

“He's always got a good attitude,” says the elder Jerry. “If you ask him to do something, he'll find a way to do it.”

That good attitude has helped fuel the business, which now does everything from septic systems to pool and new home excavations to basement digs to drainage work. Jerry Jr.’s willingness to go the extra mile has also helped them get the right equipment they need for their jobs.

“I've been to all the major brands' headquarters and all that stuff,” says Jerry Jr. “Then I started seeing a lot about Caterpillar online early on in the YouTube world. “So we walked into Ohio Cat one day, and Chad Wiseman was the one they sent out, and we’ve been hitting it off ever since then.”

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The Right Equipment for the Job

They now own 259D3 and 299D3 Compact Track Loaders, a 306 CR Mini Excavator, a 316 Excavator, a D2 Dozer, and a 956 Wheel Loader. They’ve found Chad to be a valuable asset in their ownership process.

“We [won a sweepstakes to go] to a Caterpillar event, and they were able to put us in a 299, which was a machine we were already possibly looking at purchasing,” says Jerry Jr. “From that point on, [my dad] was pretty much sold, and we got back and within about a month, we had sold our non-Cat machine. We always get great service from Ohio Cat — the next day they had us a machine.”

The Secret to Green Acres Excavating’s Success

The right equipment is only part of the secret to the success of Green Acres Excavating. The other parts? A willingness to work hard and the ability to adapt.

“I see a lot of technology and stuff online and then try to bring that into our smaller company,” says Jerry Jr.

What the Future Holds for Green Acres Excavating

With new technology and equipment on board, the future is looking bright for Green Acres. So what’s next?

“Ten years from now I hope [Jerry Jr.] is running the day-to-day stuff and I'm just in the background,” says the elder Jerry. “We’re talking about hiring a couple more operators in the next year or two.”

Jerry Jr. agrees, and believes that his passion for the industry will keep him going for many years to come. And his advice to fellow operators?

“You’ve got to have work ethic,” notes Jerry Jr. “You've got to be able to show up every day. I'm down here at 7:15 every morning. You don't want to show up in the morning, then you're not going to get very far!”

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