Gary Pooler, the founder and president of Pooler Enterprises, Inc., is recognized by his smile and his low-key, unpretentious manner. He started out as a diesel mechanic repairing and maintaining heavy construction equipment. That was 1986. When a couple customers were unable to pay for his services he started renting scrapers on an hourly basis.

Today, almost two decades later he sits atop a company that is one of the largest equipment owners and operators in western New York. His son, Dennis, is vice president of Pooler Enterprises and manages the day-to-day operations. His daughter, Cyndi Chierichella, is the company’s job cost analyst.

Their company has built a solid reputation around its capabilitiesas a general site work contractor. “We provide a variety of land development and construction services throughout New York State,” says Dennis Pooler. Its reputation is directly related to its large fleet of heavy construction equipment.

Despite modest beginnings, “we have more than 250 pieces of iron in our fleet, today,” Pooler says. As he mentally surveys the equipment barns he adds, “everything from small skid steers to large excavators.” The Poolers keep up with their fleet from their location in Fishers, NY just southeast of Rochester, NY, in part because of a strong relationship with Monroe Tractor (MT) headquartered in nearby Henrietta, NY and MT salesman Kim Saylor.

Saylor is a veteran of the construction equipment industry, having joined MT in 1977. When Pooler decided to add a LeeBoy 8515 Paver recently, Saylor got the call. Back in the late 90’s Pooler Enterprises had leased a paver before purchasing its first LeeBoy, a model 8500. So it was familiar with the capability and durability of LeeBoy equipment, according
to Saylor.

As a site work contractor with more than 21 years of experience, Pooler has focused its energy in growing a successful company through quality workmanship and consistent, on time, on budget projects for its customers.

“We offer a full range of construction services, which include estimating, land clearing, earth moving, installation of utilities (sanitary, storm or water), asphalt, foundations, structural concrete and flatwork,” says Pooler. The company also gets involved in ancillary services such as providing topsoil and snow removal.

LeeBoy’s the natural choice

When Saylor was approached about the new LeeBoy 8515 paver, he was already aware of his customer’s standing in the community and the fact that it already operated several pieces of Monroe equipment…from Case backhoes to small skid steers in its rental fleet, so he was quick to understand what Pooler would be looking for in a new paver.

“The 8515 is considered the ‘best in class’ with its legendary screed performance,” says Saylor. The heavy-duty Legend Screed comes standard on the 8515, along with two propane burners on the main screed and one burner on each extension. The 22”-deep screed plate, with bullnose front, is made of 3/8-inch AR 400 steel, a special long-wearing hardened material that is bolted on for easy replacement. Forty-two-inch hydraulic screed extensions, with replaceable wear plates, are mounted in front of the main screed and are easily adjustable resulting in a seamless mat at paving widths up to 15 feet.

“The LeeBoy 8515 has been recognized for its unique hopper wing and conveyor design,” says Saylor. “It’s equipped with heavy-duty radius hopper wings and wide-feed conveyors,” he adds noting, “I was also confident that Pooler would appreciate the self-cleaning crawler track system and the high-deck – low-deck operator stations. A joystick controls forward and reverse electronically and the operator has electronic steering controls from either side of the paver.”

Wide ranging services

A sister company, Pooler Development, LLC, offers turn-key design build solutions for commercial buildings allowing customers the ability to contract for everything from site acquisition to a finished building. One recent project for which Pooler performed all site work was an 18-hole championship golf course, Ravenwood Golf Club, Victor, NY. The holes were laid out on 180 acres of farmland and required moving more than 350,000 cubic yards of material. Pooler was also responsible for shaping and blending greens and tees to USGA standard. Despite adverse weather conditions the project was open for golf in 12 months.

Another example of its capabilities is the Allen’s Creek Storm Water Drainage Improvement Facility, Perinton, NY. This public works project was designed to create a wetland and prevent flooding in time for Oakhill Country Club to host the Ryder Cup. Pooler Enterprises, Inc. received recognition for its contribution to The American Public Works Association Project of the Year 1997.

The list of projects that Pooler contributed its abilities to reads like the “who’s who” of important construction projects in its region. They include:

• Eastview Mall Expansion, Victor, NY

The project involved moving 800,000 cubic yards of material and completing utility work as well as laying 800,000 square feet of paving. The company also constructed a turning lane off Route 96 in association with the NY Dept. of Transport.

• Petro Truck Stop Route 414, NY

This job required moving more than 400,000 cubic yards of material as well as laying 99,000 tons of stone sub-base. Pooler was also responsible for installation of the storm water system.

• Golisano College of Computing at

RIT Rochester, NY
Pooler was responsible for all structural concrete foundations and piers. The company also laid all the interior flat work totaling almost 120,000 square feet.

The list could go on.

For more information visit www.MonroeTractor.com
or call the Monroe Tractor sales office nearest you:
Henrietta, NY: 585-334-3867; Buffalo, NY: 716-681-7100; or Syracuse, NY: 315-452-0000.

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