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Lifting Expectations
Southeast Industrial Equipment, Inc. is committed to excellence by continually building and improving long-term relationships with our customers and vendors. Our associates tackle every task with the ingrained belief that our customers come first and therefore deserve the best we have to offer. Our nine (9) locations spread across Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina and Georgia perfectly situate us to handle the needs of single location customers, companies with similar footprints, and national companies headquartered in the Southeast. See a detailed map of our locations. We have proudly sold Toyota Industrial Equipment - the #1 forklift in the world - for over 20 years! We also represent a number of vendors providing other niche material handling equipment. Our highly trained Service Technicians are well equipped to repair and maintain any type of equipment. Whether you want to service your own equipment or utilize our technicians, our Parts Department can supply the parts for whatever you need. We have rental equipment when your business expectedly booms or for planned temporary production increases. The rental equipment can be rented for a single day or as long as you need to supplement your business. When it comes to forklift accessories, warehouse safety equipment, racking and storage needs, we have what you need. We are the source for all your material handling needs with knowledgeable associates to provide you the means to succeed in your business!
Upon his return home to St. Charles, Missouri, Steve attended Southeast Missouri State College. In 1974 he took a job in sales with Proctor & Gamble. His career transitioned to equipment sales in 1976 when he took a job with Phillips Machinery the local Hyster dealer in Springfield MO. Steve was then hired by Clark Lift of Cape Girardeau (MO) in 1978. Two years later, Steve moved into management when he returned to Phillips Machinery as Branch Manager in Springfield. Steve moved back to St. Charles in 1981 to work Clark Lift of St. Louis as a Product Specialist. In 1983, Steve took a position as Sales Manager with Dillon Supply moving his family to North Carolina. Steve's eight years with Dillon Supply saw him advance to Branch Manager and then Vice President of Material Handling. In 1991, Steve was hired by JM Family Enterprises to serve as President of Southeast Industrial Equipment. SIE was JM Family's only forklift dealership among their many auto dealerships. Three years later in 1994, Steve purchased SIE from JM Family and functioned as President and Owner. During his tenure as President, SIE witnessed unprecedented growth adding branch locations, increasing headcount and drawing unforeseen sales and profits. Under Steve's leadership, SIE won the prestigious Toyota President's Award for 2002, 2003 and 2004. Steve turned day to day operations over to his son Cory Thorne in April 2006. Steve remains CEO, but spends more time with his wife and grandchildren while enjoying time golfing, traveling and boating off the NC coast.
Cory worked in various departments during his summer and winter college breaks until he graduated from Appalachian State University in June 1998 with a BS in Business Administration. Following graduation, Cory was hired as a Territory Manager for Envirolift, the subsidiary of SIE that produced and sold emission control devices (ECD's). In 2000, Cory was named Territory Manager selling new and used equipment in SIE's newest branch in Richmond, Virginia. Cory was promoted to Richmond Branch Manager in 2001 to further establish SIE in the Richmond market. Cory returned to SIE in Charlotte in 2001 as the Corporate Parts and Service Manager, a position he held until being named Corporate VP of Operations at the beginning of 2004. Two years later, Cory assumed the responsibilities as President and continues to lead SIE into the future as the, "premier supplier of quality products and superior services in the material handling industry."
BJ joined her father, Steve and brother, Cory working at Southeast Industrial Equipment in 1999. BJ originally worked in accounting but quickly moved into the Sales Administration Department as she learned more about the material handling business. BJ then tackled the back end of the business for two and half years as Charlotte Parts Manager. In 2004, BJ became SIE's first ever Customer Retention Manager. She worked with the branches to maintain existing accounts through consistent communication with SIE customers. BJ took a short hiatus in 2006 to give birth to her daughter and upon her return she assumed the role of Office Manager and Sales Administration Coordinator. She has enjoyed the endeavors that she has had thus far and looks forward to new ones as SIE continues to strive to be the best material handling dealership.
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After graduating from St. Charles High School (St. Charles MO), Steve joined the United States Marine Corps serving in Viet Nam until his discharge in 1971 at the rank of Sergeant.
Michael Cory Thorne having grown up around the material handling, so it seemed natural for him to start working part time for SIE in the summer of 1993.
BJ graduated from Charlotte Catholic High School (Charlotte, NC) in 1997. She attended East Carolina University and University of North Carolina Charlotte originally looking at a career in nursing; however, the draw of the family business was too great!
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