| Gary J. Ober,
the President of Equipment Training Resources, was born in Erie, Pennsylvania in 1957, not
with a silver spoon in his mouth, but a loader-backhoe in the back yard. At the
age of 8, Gary was given the chance to try operating and he never looked back.
Until the age of 16, he worked with his father during the summer gaining experience
operating a loader-backhoe, bulldozer, and driving a dump truck. At 16, Gary was handed
the keys to the truck and backhoe and the address of the job for that day.
 Gary's
greatest influence came from his father, Harold J. Ober, who had a reputation for
working hard and working smart. When Harold Ober looked at a job, he looked at it from the
beginning-- to the end, and then back to the beginning. By visualizing the job
from the "end to the beginning" he would plan and execute his work to make the
following steps easier-- or eliminate them all together.
- No double work
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No wasted motion
-
No, "Never time to do it right, but always time to do it over."
Thinking and planning was the hallmark of his work
habits. These principles were impressed on Gary and were enforced on the jobsite at all
times.
At 23, Gary began writing the book that would become the most in depth book ever
written on operating heavy equipment and eventually the STANDARD of the INDUSTRY.
Three years later in 1983, Gary completed and published the book Operating Techniques for the Tractor-Loader-Backhoe. The
book soon became standard issue for Loader-Backhoe training classes throughout The Unite
States and Canada.
In 1996, the book was formally adopted for training by THE INTERNATIONAL
UNION OF OPERATING ENGINEERS.
In 1990, LOADER-BACKHOE SAFETY VIDEOS were released. The
two-part set of videos covers OPERATOR SAFETY and WORKER SAFETY.
In 1992, LOADER SAFETY AND TRAINING VIDEOS was completed.
A four-part set of videos on rubber tire and track loaders that covers
maintenance, safety and operating techniques.
All of these products have been enthusiastically received by those seeking quality safety
and training materials.
Today, at the age of 42, Gary still operates loaders, dozers, excavators, and
loader-backhoes on a regular basis. These sessions are used to stimulate new ideas
that help him to further define the craftsmanship of operating heavy equipment.
OUR MISSION
Equipment Training Resources' mission is simply stated… to produce
the very finest in Heavy Equipment Training materials, and to make them available to
companies and organizations world-wide. Today, our customers recognize us as the leader in heavy equipment
safety & training.
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