Five Star Equipment was founded in 1980 by business partners Frank Gallo and Bill Bochicchio, Sr. The pair had worked together for more than 10 years at Ingersoll Rand’s Construction and Mining Division, and were ready to take their experience with heavy equipment in another direction. During their time at Ingersoll Rand, Gallo and Bochicchio were involved in the many facets of mining, compaction and oil, gas and water drilling operations throughout the northeastern United States.

Looking to focus on opportunities in Pennsylvania and New York, they purchased a full-line GMC truck dealership in Dunmore, PA, bordering Scranton. The operation provided full rebuilding services of major industrial engines, including Detroit, Cummins and Caterpillar. After a successful first year in business, with a strong reputation for performance, Gallo and Bochicchio were approached by Dresser Industries to take on the complete LeRoi-Dresser line of products. In addition to that new line, they also added Driltec Rotary drilling equipment that same year.

Two years later, the entrepreneurs seized another opportunity when they acquired a John Deere Construction and Forestry dealership in the Scranton, PA area. This acquisition opened up significant opportunities in the municipal and general contracting markets. Building on the success of the now-named Five Star Equipment, John Deere continued to offer the company expansion opportunities in New York State and Pennsylvania, resulting in the current footprint of seven locations serving 57 counties.

Planning for the company’s future growth and success included an addition to the leadership team. Bill Farrell was hired in 2016 as the company’s first Chief Executive Officer. In conjunction with Five Star’s ownership, Bill Farrell and the Senior Leadership Team have developed and implemented a strategic, long-range plan that includes significant reinvestment in the business and its capabilities – people, facilities, systems, processes and state of the art technologies. This exciting plan builds on the company’s rich history of long-standing relationships with customers and will ensure that Five Star Equipment is the first choice of businesses for many years to come.

At Five Star Equipment, each and every employee is guided in their daily work by the same core Mission, Vision and Values. At Five Star Equipment, we Power Our Customers’ Success through our dedicated and knowledgeable team, our quality products and our focus on customer service.