North American Sweeper Magazine is published by Phoenix Global Media Inc.
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THE LEGENDARY POWER BEHIND SWEEPING
• Non-CDL version available
• Mechanical sweeping to handle heavy applications like millings
• Independent broom control for in-the-cut precision
• Single engine for fuel economy and less maintenance
• Simple start-up procedure with easy-to-operate controls
SERVICE BUSINESS LEADER
Gale Holsman Brings New Services to KC
Gale Holsman’s American Companies:
American Sweeper, Inc., American Waste Systems, Inc, and Total Venue, LLC
American Companies, Inc. is the corporate umbrella under which a vastly diverse range of services are delivered in the Kansas City market. Gale Holsman,
Founder, President, and CEO of American Companies has led the expansive organization for over 40 years. The company’s several subsidiaries provide topquality construction site services, event services, powersweeping, portable toilets, luxury restroom trailers, trash collection service, powerwashing, portering, roll-off rentals, and stage rentals, among other services.
Recently, Holsman’s company has made some exciting changes in service channels and in leadership roles. People who have followed his extraordinary career are naturally very curious about the broad implications of those transitions and about what Gale was doing during his also recent brief hiatus, and his new plans for the future of the company coming out of that period.
Gale Holsman, Founder, President, and CEO of American Companies
has led the expansive organization for over 40 years.
MERGER OF AMERICA WASTE SYSTEMS WITH COUNTYWIDE DISPOSAL
In mid-2024, Gale sold some of the residential trash collection routes that were being serviced by American Waste Systems (AWS), a contingent of the American Companies group. He sold the AWS routes in a merger deal with Countywide Disposal.
Currently, American Companies is shifting more of
SPOTLIGHT
its focus to the growth of the American Sweeping, Inc. business. Holsman’s leadership team is planning to expand that service channel for increased saturation across the KC market during the coming years.
Holsman also owns Total Venue, LLC (launched in 2010), a 16-year-old portable toilet rental service for construction projects, sports venues (including Arrowhead Stadium), and special events.
Gale estimates that the American enterprise’s percent of business from each general category of services is currently around 40% restroom trailer rentals and event services, about 20% sweeping (which is targeted for growth to 50%), and 40% roll-off rentals.
As the corporate leadership team follows the plan to
develop the company’s sweeping customer base, Gale notes that the roll-off rentals, special events services, Arrowhead Stadium contract service, and all other facets of operations are also continuing to grow. He says, for example, “We’re now doing everything for the FIFA event at Arrowhead, which is about sold out. And, we continue to serve about 5 or 6 cities on a number of projects.
HISTORY OF HOLSMAN’S KC BUSINESS VENTURES
When we originally met Gale Holsman 7 years ago, back in 2018, he had already grown and sold a successful powersweeping company. He had changed his business model for his next endeavor
continued on page 12
SPOTLIGHT
from including parking lots to more exclusively larger municipal and state road contracts. He had also already grown robust portable toilet rental and roll-off rental operations by that time.
Going even further back, with American Pavement Maintenance, another early subsidiary of American Companies, Holsman rounded off pavement care services with powerwashing, striping, and other treatments (with some work performed in-house and other projects employing subs).
GALE HOLSMAN CONTINUES LONG TRACK RECORD OF SUCCESS IN KC
It’s fair to say that Gale Holsman has succeeded spectacularly with everything he’s done over the past 40 years along his midwestern entrepreneurial journey.
American Companies, including American Sweeping, Inc., American Waste Systems, Inc., and Total Venue, LLC have all performed impressively over time as part of the thriving enterprise under his direction. His longest-time customer, Arrowhead Stadium, has been with him since the very beginning when Gale founded the company in 1984. That’s quite a testament to the top-tier service quality he and his team have consistently delivered over the past four decades. In our 2018 interview, he recalled the start of that lasting business relationship:
“I was working for Waste Management as a local sales manager. I had the opportunity to buy a sweeper truck, so I bought it. The first weekend business I got was with the Michael Jackson Victory tour.
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SPOTLIGHT
...big news now is that his daughter, Shannon Holsman-Lock... has assumed responsibility for managing the entire complex of companies...
Jackson put on a three-day concert here. It was my first job, to sweep the parking lot at Arrowhead for that show. They liked me. Today (2018), we have 350 portable toilets in the stadium lots. From that starting point, he went on to start sweeping
Kmarts, Walmarts, many other major customers, and large events through the years, with the full scope of the company’s services. For example, the Santa Cali Gon Days Festival, FIFA events, the St. Patrick’s Day Parade (and others), Oktoberfest (one of the biggest events in the country), just to name a few.
SHANNON HOLSMAN STEPS INTO INCREASED LEADERSHIP ROLE
Gale explains that the big news now is that his daughter, Shannon Holsman-Lock, Vice President of American Companies, has assumed responsibility for managing the entire complex of companies, effective January 2026. He noted that he will still continue receiving daily reports of activities, and calls for guidance and other help, as needed, and will stay
fully apprised of what’s going on in the business. But, Shannon will assume full responsibility for running the company, which she has, in effect, increasingly been doing for a while now.
Shannon commented, “It’s kind of a fun thing that we’re doing right now. We’re 40+ years down the line, but we’re moving back into the sweeping more, with a lot of new players in the game.” We’re angling things differently as we’re coming back into growth mode of that service line. And, we’re just kind of redoing our sweeping service model, focusing more on concierge sweeping needs, vs. route management.”
Gale added, “A lot of the sweeping we did through in the ‘80s and ‘90s was on scheduled routes. The goal now is concierge work. You can get your seasonal after-snow clean-up, get your construction sites ready, etc. We want to be the deep cleaning guys. So, we’re redoing the brand to reflect that.
We’re emphasizing services like track out, powerwashing, scrubbing, cleaning inside warehouses, garages, using the flusher truck washer, etc.” We’ll also continue the same kinds of
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Model 600® COMDEX ® Street Sweeper
Model 500x® High Side Dump
Model 435® COMDEX ® Mid-Sized Street Sweeper
Model 210® COMDEX ® Parking Lot Sweeper
SPOTLIGHT
We recently bought two new ODRA sweepers. One thing we love about the ODRA’s is that they’re very versatile.
growth we’ve realized over the years in the rolloffs, portable toilets, and luxury restroom trailers. They’ll grow too.
AMERICAN RELYING ON ODRA FOR FUTURE OF THE BUSINESS
At this point, under our new brand, we have 8 sweeper
trucks. They’re Eagles (air vac), ODRA’s, (mechanical broom machines), Victorys, Schwarzes, and Tennants (for inside and scrubbing). We do not do milling. We’re leaving that to others. We recently bought two new ODRA sweepers. One thing we love about the ODRA’s is that they’re very versatile. Even though they are heavy-duty mechanical broom trucks, they have also proven to be ideal for streets and light site cleanup. So, we’ve started our new brand with the ODRA’s, and we will buy more of those.
What I like about ODRA’s is that they’re simple. They don’t require a CDL*. That opens up an additional operating role for drivers conveniently for us. When we bought our first ODRA machine, our salesman was so great. He showed us everything. He convinced me. All
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Replacement
Keystone Plastics has been manufacturing the industry’s leading replacement brooms for street sweeping and road construction since 1954. At Keystone we believe in reliable quality and strive to make the heaviest, longest lasting brooms in the industry. We also believe the only good broom is the one that arrives to you as promised. Contact us to find a distributor near you.
SPOTLIGHT
their people are very nice and helpful. They even took us out and demonstrated on a construction site.
We went to their assembly plant in North Dakota and toured the entire facility. Everybody was very friendly.
We visited the electrical, the hydraulic, and every other department. When we left, we had good confidence in the company. So, we got two ODRA’s, and we’re planning to buy more in the future when we need trucks.
*Non-CDL trucks offer powersweeping business owners the advantage of allowing any of their drivers to operate them without a Commercial Driver’s License
Much of our new business is from word of mouth by business owners and property managers. Longevity naturally brings customers.
because of its gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR). That weight rating must be below the CDL regulatory threshold, which is often 26,000 lbs (in many U.S. jurisdictions). This makes it easier for municipalities, contractors, and service teams to staff and deploy the sweeper, since operators don’t require specialized commercial licensing. It reduces training time, hiring constraints, and operational costs.
THE HOLSMAN KC TEAM – AMONG THE INDUSTRY’S FINEST
Much of our new business is from word of mouth by business owners and property managers. Longevity naturally brings customers. Everybody that works for me is in sales. We still go out and bid for jobs. We have 3 dedicated salespeople, including me and Shannon. But we also have our 12 sweeping truck drivers and portable toilet delivery drivers. When we get into spring, the phone always rings off the hook. The only worry then is about getting more drivers and more equipment. Shannon has sent out email blasts, flyer campaigns, and the team has
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SPOTLIGHT
been phone calling property managers and other customers to let them know about the new sweeping service initiative and our new branding.
Our sales staff does bidding and makes sure we have a lot of good communication with the business community. Our drivers are bringing in referrals. We give a lot of incentives of different kinds for sales referred by employees. The whole team is doing an excellent job of getting the word out.
We reward the employees a lot. I like doing things for them. I like to give trips and special events to people for performance rewards, vs. just handing them a $10 bill. We’ve taken staff on a trip to Las Vegas, to
Being big is not the idea. Being big is not the program.
Grow, grow, gone. Our objective is to provide service for the book of work we have so we can have good account retention.
Florida, etc., and we’ve sponsored a lot of fun local outings over the years. We did a World of Fun day with employees and their kids, and we took everyone to a Rose game. We sponsored a Cheese Game, with a party trailer and a VIP setup. We also took 77 to 80 people to a KC Chiefs game, including their spouses, kids, or other guests.
HOLSMAN BUSINESS PHILOSOPHY & METHODOLOGY
In our 2018 meeting with Gale Holsman, his motivational message was powerful and still is today: “Being big is not the idea. Being big is not the program. Grow, grow, gone. Our objective is to provide service for the book of work we have so we can have good account retention. We spend all of our time on account retention. We want to provide the best service, so our customers have no reason to go to our competitors.”
His advice for new business owners in the industry continued, “But, charge enough to do well in
business. Charge for your services. Don’t be afraid to charge for your services. Otherwise, you can’t provide good employees and service. If you can’t afford to do business, then your customers can’t stay with you.”
He further reflected, “At the end of the day, all you have left is your reputation. We know our reputation rides on the perceptions of our company, which is represented by our trucks, containers, uniforms, etc. Everything has to be first class. Perception is everything.”
Finally, he emphasized, “All companies want to grow, because that’s the reward — growth in equipment, number of employees, benefits, the quality of the home base where you house your equipment, etc.
Everything has to do with growth. So, you must have a plan that includes a roadmap to where you want to be.
Everything has to do with growth. So, you must have a plan that includes a roadmap to where you want to be. You need to know where you are and want to be in a given timeframe. We discuss this in our weekly
SPOTLIGHT
managers’ meetings. We discuss where we are, where we want to go, and how we’re going to get there. We look at our wishlist and match it with the numbers.
WAIT, WHAT WAS GALE DOING DURING HIS HIATUS?
As mentioned, Gale is now back after a small hiatus from the business. I’m turning 70 next year, and Shannon will be running this thing. She’s moving into the role of running all the company’s operations solo, and I’m going to Florida.
We won a business award in 2002. But, the greatest thing I think an individual can do in a business is build a good company and have their kid take it over. I’m excited about her expanding her horizons. She’s been taking care of the website, admin, HR, and growth. She deals with customers. Her role won’t change in any of those ways. The changeover is happening now, as of Jan 1, 2026.
I still get my reports every day. Meanwhile, I’m investing in houses and flipping houses at Lake of the Ozarks. I love it. My lovely wife retired and sold her Harley dealerships in Kansas City and St. Louis. She’s now on Hutchinson Island, developing a Vbro rental. I’ll be joining her there. We’re spending half and half time between Florida and Missouri. Last year, in June, we sold our residential and commercial routes of American Waste Systems. In January, I sold my last transfer station. But we still have our classic cars.
So, why the apparent return to the helm by Gale? It appears to be more of a lateral role he’s assumed along with Shannon to guide the transition.” The cool thing about it is why I do this. There’s Joe at the lake with our house flipping, there’s Florida and the ocean, and there’s a hand in running a great business that
my daughter will now lead. What I’ve done, and what I continue to do, I am fortunate to be able to do.
You’re only as good as the people you surround yourself with, and I’m fortunate to have the best people to work with in all these endeavors. With their support, I can be confident in doing well in everything I take on, and I’ll certainly never be bored.”
Gale Holsman’s lifestyle has been one of running a company with multiple kinds of service lines utilizing various types of heavy-equipment over the decades, while keeping active with every other exciting thing on wheels in his off-time, from classic cars to Harleys, plus other for-profit and charitable ventures.
Now, for fun in semi-retirement, he’s off to flipping houses at the Lake of the Ozarks and rental real estate investments off the Florida coast. Of all the business owners we’ve known throughout the industry, Gale Holsman is unquestionably the least likely ever to be bored.
Benefits Vs. Costs of In-House Mechanic for Your Powersweeping Business
There are huge and well-known benefits of having your own full-time mechanic onsite to maintain and repair your powersweeping trucks and other fleet vehicles as needed. There are also some serious costs and risks that come along with the advantages. Here, we’ll look at the pros and cons of hiring a mechanic for your company, to give you a clearer picture of both sides of the general considerations. You can then weigh all the factors and make a more informed decision about whether employing a professional mechanic is right for your business at this time.
Hiring an in-house mechanic can transform the operational efficiency of your powersweeping business. A full-time onsite mechanic brings powerful advantages...
BENEFITS OF HIRING A FULL-TIME MECHANIC
Hiring an in-house mechanic can transform the operational efficiency of your powersweeping business. A full-time onsite mechanic brings powerful advantages, especially to larger fleet owners. For example, there’s the assurance of priority handling of urgent truck repairs, with no waiting in a queue at a busy local auto shop, among other benefits of having your own mechanic:
Benefits of Hiring a Mechanic:
4 Faster repairs, reduced losses due to truck downtime
4 Consistent repair and maintenance quality
4 Convenient preventive maintenance routine for trucks
4 Specialized knowledge of your truck types onsite
4 Timely critical cleaning of fan systems, hoppers, etc.
4 Convenient scheduling to meet your business’s priorities
4 Inventory of frequently needed parts eliminates waiting
4 In-house training cost absorbed for shop assistants
4 Drive-time and fuel cost eliminated for auto shop service
4 Direct control of mechanical work quality
4 Familiarity with your mechanic’s skills and training needs
4 Overall reduced use of more costly outside repair shops
DOWNSIDE OF HIRING A FULL-TIME MECHANIC
The upside of having your own shop and full-time mechanic in-house is so great that it can be too tempting to ignore the costs and risks you’re taking on when you add a mechanic to your team as a long-term employee. It’s important to be aware of all the special considerations before you make the decision to hire a professional to fill that job description.
Costs of Hiring a Mechanic
4 Competitive salary for well-skilled auto mechanic
4 Employee benefits payments for an additional employee
4 Workspace modifications to create truck service area
The upside of having your own shop and fulltime mechanic in-house is so great that it can be too tempting to ignore the costs and risks you’re taking on when you add a mechanic to your team as a long-term employee.
4 Significant investment in quality shop equipment and tools
4 Continuing professional skills training expenses
4 Increased Worker’s Comp insurance cost
4 Safety compliance risk
4 Continuous safety training expense
4 Overhead to operate a mechanics facility onsite
INSIGHTS FROM 2025 SWEEPER SUMMIT –ONSITE MECHANIC
The NAPSA guidelines and industry insights shared during the most recent Sweeper Summit discussion of this topic emphasized the substantial benefits of hiring an in-house mechanic. Bill Smith, Owner of Smith Property Services, Raynham, Massachusetts, presented a closer examination of the issue.
BUSINESS CORNER
...hiring a mechanic means reduced downtime and other big benefits, but the costs of quality tooling, training, safety systems, salary, and insurance must not be overlooked.
Bill reviewed the various benefits, costs, risks, and other considerations in an analysis of the practice of having a full-time mechanic working in-house as part of your powersweeping business, vs. using an outside auto service shop for mechanical maintenance and The discussion emphasized the operational advantages of minimizing downtime for sweeper truck repairs and maintenance, which can be exceptional. On the other hand, it also explored the costs of a competitive salary for a talented professional mechanic, quality specialized tools, increased insurance requirements, and providing an appropriate auto shop workspace, all serious financial factors.
The takeaway message from the Summit discussion was about balancing the considerations in making a hiring decision to bring a mechanic on board. The point was that hiring a mechanic means reduced downtime and other big benefits, but the costs of
quality tooling, training, safety systems, salary, and insurance must not be overlooked.
POTENTIAL BIG BONUS ADVANTAGES OF IN-HOUSE MECHANIC
We talked with Bill Smith recently and he stressed a couple of often missed possibilities that can be the deciding factors for many sweeping business owners in determining whether to bring on a mechanic. Bill said that as a takeaway from his coverage of the question, he would hope people remember these points:
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BUSINESS CORNER
When you buy one sweeper you have to have a spare sitting there,
because it’s gonna break. It’s worth having someone in your shop that can handle repairs and do preventive maintenance.
“I think for me the decision was made when my repair cost through a dealership was about 75% of the salary for an in-house mechanic for a year. And, when you have a mechanic onsite, you get so much more than a few repairs per year.
When you buy one sweeper you have to have a spare sitting there, because it’s gonna break. It’s worth having someone in your shop that can handle repairs and do preventive maintenance. That way, the truck is not breaking down on the job as often. It’s a lot about finding the right person too. You need to have someone who catches issues before things get to the point of breaking down. Not having the breakdown is the best way to manage that potential problem.
The mechanic can also become a spare sweeper truck driver. He can be a guy there onsite available to jump in
the seat and go, so you always have a spare driver, not just a mechanic.”
NAPSA BEST PRACTICES:
IN-HOUSE MECHANIC
It’s always useful to revisit NAPSA policy recommendations and industry Best Practices for any course you pursue to improve your business. Per NAPSA wisdom, doing so in this case can help you reestablish your commercial truck care budget from an expense to a strategic benefit by optimizing your fleet’s efficiency.
Relevant Best Practices include:
Preventive Maintenance
Timely scheduled preventative sweeper truck maintenance extends equipment life. Maintain an ongoing schedule of routine
truck maintenance at your shop.
Safety Training
Implement stringent auto shop safety policies. Include procedures, required PPE, fire safety, lockout/tag-out protocols, etc.
Skills Training
Provide your mechanic(s) with updated training as applicable for your company’s sweeper models.
Adherence to Industry Standards
Follow NAPSA standards, including documenting inspections, maintenance, and repairs to maintain histories for maximum equipment life and liability protection.
Truck Care Workspace
Provide a properly lit and equipped truck repair shop that includes the necessary special tools and
BUSINESS CORNER
equipment to perform repairs and maintenance on sweeper trucks.
Onsite Parts Stock
Keep an inventory tracking system for managing frequently needed sweeper truck parts, such as brooms, brushes, filters, hydraulic hoses, and others, to avoid repair delays for shipping.
Manage
Financial Factors
Focus on balancing benefits, like increased uptime, repair quality control, and smooth maintenance routines, against costs, like tool purchasing, building alterations, and safety risks.
CONCLUSION
So, is having an in-house mechanic right for your sweeping business? It’s the obvious solution to ensure quick resolution of truck problems by preventing long wait times at busy outside auto repair shops. Having a mechanic onsite also means you’re likely to keep some key parts on hand, which can be another big layer of time savings, empowering you to move ahead with repairs immediately without waiting for parts shipments or deliveries.
However, per the NAPSA Sweeper Summit learning session on the question, make sure you carefully weigh the benefits of time-savings and convenience against the long-term overhead expenses of having an in-house mechanic.
On balance, the reality is that, over time, you’ll continue to need frequent repairs of all kinds on even the best-maintained sweeper trucks. That’s the nature of the powersweeping field. Your onsite expert becomes arguably the most knowledgeable professional in your auto service market about your trucks, whatever their makes and models.
If you bring a mechanic on board, a key goal of that team member should be to add value to the role, by continuously exploring ways to maximize his usefulness to the business. He should develop a comprehensive system for maximizing the life of the fleet, while efficiently managing costs and risks in the mechanical work required to maintain it.
FOR MORE ON THE PRESENTATION
OF THIS TOPIC AT THE SWEEPER SUMMIT, SEE FACEBOOK, SWEEPER SUMMIT: THE UPS AND DOWNS OF IN-HOUSE MECHANIC EXPERTISE.
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JOB OPPORTUNITY MECHANICAL ENGINEER Kent,
WA.
Design mechanical and structural components for street sweepers. Design hydraulic and electrical systems that integrate with commercial, on-highway vehicles. Design non-metallic parts manufactured in fiberglass, PE, or ABS material. Investigate, refine, and test regenerative air systems for street sweepers. Create detailed component part and assembly drawings. Create Bills of Materials (BOM) for design layout and assembly drawings. Provide technical support to clients regarding products. Coordinate fabrication personnel to produce functional prototypes and fixtures for new designs. Analyze and test prototypes to ensure they meet quality, safety, and performance standards. Create technical documentation for production and customer use. Create Engineering Change Orders (ECO) and perform any related changes to the designs and drawings. Define technical specifications that meet performance, cost, and quality requirements. Program and troubleshoot components using Controller Area Network (CAN) communication protocol. Manage Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) records including item attributes, Bill of Materials (BOM), and manufacturing routings. Direct fabrication and installation activities to ensure products conform to engineering design specifications. Participate with cross-functional teams, across Alamo Group companies, on large scale projects such as product transfers and electrification initiatives. Provide technical knowledge to purchasing teams to help identify strategic vendors and source materials. Collaborate with vendors to provide drawing clarification, part specifications, and resolve quality issues. Plan, prioritize, and organize work using task management software.. Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering required. Ability to communicate effectively with clients, work collaboratively with team members, and draft technical documentation required. Ability to wear protective equipment including steel-toed shoes required. Position requires 24 months’ work experience as a Mechanical Engineer, including minimum 12 months’ experience in each of the following: using SolidWorks software to produce detailed 3D and 2D design drawings; reading hydraulic & electrical schematics to troubleshoot hydraulic & electrical circuits; designing fiberglass, PE or ABS parts; maintaining, testing & analyzing regenerative air systems; using Standardized Manufacturing Process to push new & existing designs through cross-functional workflow that drives downstream customer processes; using Oracle JDE to manage ERP records; facilitating Requests for Quotes and supplier collaboration reviews with vendors; and using Asana task management software to schedule and track work. Occasional weekend or evening hours. Domestic travel to company and client sites throughout the United States required approximately once per six months for several days to provide technical services. Relocation will not be necessary for these trips. Salary $87,110/year. Send resume to tohlgren@nitehawksweepers.com
