We Appreciate Your Service

This past week many of us attended the last auction, and the last business day, of one of Wyoming’s leading agricultural businesses, Lathrop Equipment, which has locations in Casper and Riverton.
In any business other than agriculture it most likely wouldn’t have been a big deal. However, the businesses where agriculture producers buy machinery and all their parts, livestock feed and other necessary items for the farm and ranch – the ones they deal with on a weekly basis – almost become family. Those of us who have done business with Lathrop Equipment and the family are sad to see them sell the business. We understand Gary and Kent will still be a part of the business, but the Lathrop name will be gone.  
Years ago the dealership was started in the big red barn at the ranch two miles east of Casper. Today Casper has surrounded the offices, shops and lots, and the Lathrops have also expanded to a strong branch in Riverton. While they have been dealers in many brands of farm machinery, the John Deere brand has been the mainstay, along with John Deere golf course and lawn and garden equipment.  
We’re lucky in Wyoming to have businesses like Lathrop Equipment and others that serve agricultural equipment here in the state. We tend to take for granted the great service they provide, and that a handshake and a person’s word are as good as any written contract.
If they didn’t already have it, the Lathrops have always gone out of their way to find the needed piece of equipment, and the most important service I think they provide is their great parts department. During certain times of the year, when it seems like we talk to the parts counter in town more often than our kids, the Lathrops have always been great to work with. They have always understood what we meant when describing the “small green thing behind the cab that holds the black thing with a hose coming out.” During haying season, those at the parts counters know us better than our families, who learn to ignore us when equipment is broke down.
We will miss the Lathrop name on the buildings, envelopes and ads, but we realize the Lathrops will still be there and will still be a part of our communities. We’re thankful for that, and the more we learn about and meet those involved with Greenline Equipment, a subsidiary of Arizona Machinery of Phoenix, Ariz., the more we see the core values of their business and personal lives are the same as dealing with Gary Lathrop and those involved with Lathrop Equipment. Greenline Equipment and Arizona Machinery is a family business like the Lathrops’ and it started with a dream, lots of hard work and long hours and now has some 15 stores in the western states. Strong values, good business sense and good people are what you’ll hear about when the family is mentioned.
We thank Lathrop Equipment and the Lathrop family not only for their business, but also for all their years of support for agricultural needs and the nonprofit ag functions and organizations. Their support in the ag community is unmatched and much appreciated. They have made Wyoming a better place.
Dennis