EquipmentShare brings Columbia family back home for good.
When Ken LaLonde learned he had landed a job with EquipmentShare, the excitement wasn’t just about a new opportunity. It meant he and his family were moving back to Columbia.
After nearly two years in St. Augustine, Florida, the return felt easy and certain. The place they had missed most was waiting for them in Mid-Missouri.
“We drove back into Columbia, and it immediately felt like we were back where we belonged,” LaLonde said.
LaLonde, a native of San Diego, arrived in Columbia while serving as a Marine Officer Instructor at the University of Missouri. From 2018-22, he taught and mentored ROTC students while building a life with his wife.
“It was the first place that felt like home since leaving San Diego,” LaLonde said.
During his time in Columbia, LaLonde and his wife connected with the community and the people immediately. He grew to appreciate that many residents felt the same way about Columbia: Life felt easy.
“In Columbia, everything you need is about 10 minutes away,” he said. “That’s something you don’t realize how special it is until you leave.”
The job was a great steppingstone in his career, but something was missing.
“Work was good, but life outside of work just didn’t click for us,” he said. “We missed the community. We missed the pace of life.”
LaLonde began looking for a way back to Columbia. The opportunity came from EquipmentShare.
When a director of distribution role opened with the Columbia-based company, LaLonde knew this was the opportunity to come back home. Since 2015, EquipmentShare has transformed from a local startup into a nationwide leader in construction technology and equipment rental. Throughout all that growth, company leaders decided they could accomplish all their goals while keeping home base in Mid-Missouri.They believed Columbia was the right place for a business like EquipmentShare because of the Midwest work ethic and values of the community, as well as its central location, which supports nationwide growth.
The company employs hundreds of employees in Columbia and continues to expand through new facilities like the Technology Development Center and Distribution Center. The Distribution Center is a 115,000-square-foot facility with a capacity to store and manage up to 45,000 items. It is the hub for parts and supplies that can be quickly sent to EquipmentShare branches to serve customers nationwide.
“Columbia has been the perfect place for EquipmentShare to start and grow,” said Amy Susán, senior director of brand communications & public affairs at EquipmentShare. “The Distribution Center is a great example of that. It allows us to test and refine solutions that support our branches nationwide, all while creating opportunities in the community where our company was founded.”
Today, he leads distribution initiatives supporting EquipmentShare’s growing network of branches and e-commerce operations across the country.
“It’s dynamic,” he said. “Every day brings a new challenge, and I get to lead a team that’s making a real difference.”
LaLonde credits his time in the Marine Corps and experience running production at a large distribution center in Florida as preparation. Still, for LaLonde, the most meaningful part of his return has little to do with his title.
Today, LaLonde and his wife are raising their three sons in the same community they once hoped not to leave. Two of their children were born in Columbia, and the family has no plans to move again. They stay active in the community, by spending time at local parks, exploring Rock Bridge State Park and attending Mizzou sporting events.
“This is home for us,” he said. “You can chase bigger cities, but you miss the small things. Columbia has everything we need and more.”
And this time, he’s here to stay.