|
|
For sisters Renee Creed and Terra Chiaramonte, deciding to start their own equipment rental company-RTL-was a natural byproduct of having been involved with the construction industry their whole lives. Their parents, Maurice and Linda Ortega started their dry underground contracting company, A.M. Ortega Construction, Inc., 33 years ago, with both Renee and Terra “going along for the ride” often as young girls. The sisters, along with their mother, began RTL five-and-a-half years ago as a way to supplement their incomes. |
 One of RTL's Case 85XT skid-steers.
|
Renee and Terra, the only children of Maurice and Linda, often went with their parents to make equipment moves, pick up plans, or to do whatever else might be going on. According to Terra, it was natural for her and Renee to go into the construction business because they “know the industry.”
Both Renee and Terra continue to work for A.M. Ortega Construction
part-time. Renee handles all the human resources aspects of the business, including all insurance issues, while Terra works two days a week doing payroll. For RTL, Renee handles tracking equipment, Payables and Receivables. Terra handles the application process for minority status for the company, networking, and corporate paperwork.
Renee, Terra and Linda started their business by purchasing two older Case compact loader/backhoes. They now own two newer Case compact loader/backhoes, four Case compact skid steer loaders, and two Case compact excavators. All of their work is “bare rental”, according to Terra. |
|
One of RTL's Case backhoes digging for flood drains. |
|
According to Case's website, Case Compact Track Loaders feature “high-torque Case Tier II engines” and “exceptionally low ground pressure” which allows the user to get back on
the job more quickly after rain. The Compact Excavators feature a “small footprint and the ability to turn 360 degrees without any part of the upper structure extending beyond the tracks.”
The women have purchased all of their equipment from D3 Equipment's El Cajon branch. According to Terra, the people at D3 are great. “They have a very nice staff,” she adds.
RTL's best client is A.M. Ortega Construction. “We mostly stay busy with my dad's company,” Terra explains, “but we have worked with some other construction companies, as well.”
A.M. Ortega Construction completes projects in San Diego, Riverside, San Bernardino and Orange Counties. RTL operates out of both the sisters' houses, Lakeside for Renee and Ramona for Terra.
The sisters are applying to get their minority status license from the State
of California, which is one of the things needed to set them up to grow as a company. “A lot of government agencies need to fulfill their minority status requirement on jobs, so being a female- and Hispanic-owned company, we will have an advantage there,” Terra says.
Terra says that RTL has been a fairly easy company to operate, mainly due to the fact that they are primarily working with one customer. The most challenging aspect of their business is getting their minority status in place.
As far as growth goes, the sisters say they've focused on the compact equipment line so far, but they aren't limiting themselves to that in the future. They plan to stick with Case equipment because they are really happy with the equipment that Case manufactures.
For more information call (619) 571-1522. Cc
|
 RTL's Case 85XT doing road side work in Carlsbad.
|
|
|
|
