Giles & Ransome Inc. recently announced the appointment of Kristin Bromley Fitzgerald as president of the company. Her father, Wayne Bromley, has assumed the position of chairman of the board.

Giles & Ransome was founded in 1916 by Fitzgerald’s great grandfather, Percy A. Ransome Sr., and represents the fourth generation of owner management of the company. The company originally represented the Ransome brand of concrete mixers and other construction related products. In 1932, Giles & Ransome was appointed the exclusive Caterpillar dealer of southeastern Pennsylvania, southern New Jersey and New Castle County, Delaware.

The second generation was led by Fitzgerald’s grandfather, Ernest L. Ransome III, and Percy Ransome Jr. Dawson Ransome was originally involved with the Caterpillar business, but eventually left the company to found Ransome Airlines, which at the time it was sold in 1986 was the world’s largest commuter airline.

Fitzgerald’s father, Wayne Bromley, joined the company in 1977 and along with his wife, Jane Ransome Bromley, eventually bought the business from the rest of the family. The company grew rapidly over the years, due to the expansion of the Caterpillar product line and the representation of other quality manufacturers. Most notably, Ransome became an International truck dealer in 2010 when it acquired the assets of Freedom International from Navistar and established Ransome International.

Fitzgerald joined the family business in 2001. Early in her career she served as a Rental Power sales representative for a number of years and later moved to a marketing role. She then moved to the rental service business, Ransome Rents, and assumed the position of branch manager of the Atlantic City area branch. In 2008, Fitzgerald assumed responsibility of Ransome Engine, which provides sales, rental and service support for the Caterpillar electric power generation, marine, industrial, used and truck engine markets.

In Fitzgerald’s new role as president she has responsibility for the entire Caterpillar business. Giles & Ransome has supported the construction industry since 1916 and represents the entire Caterpillar construction product line, as well as other manufacturers such as Weiler, Bandit, Trimble and Roadhog. Ransome Engine represents the entire Caterpillar engine product line, as well as MWM gas generators. Ransome also is a master distributor of the Perkins Engine business through Perkins Power Northeast. Ransome Rents serves the short-term rental needs of its customers with an expansive inventory of Caterpillar rental machines, as well as allied equipment such as Genie, Multiquip and Sullair.

“I am very excited and proud of Kristin’s appointment as President of Giles & Ransome,” said Wayne Bromley. “She has worked very hard the past 12 years to gain the support and respect of our employees, customers and Caterpillar. I was fortunate to have the opportunity to lead this company for a number of years and am excited about our future and ability, under Kristin’s leadership, to even better serve the needs of our customers, as we approach our 100th anniversary.”

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