P.B. Hoidale “Lifts Up” Those in Need

Leading Stertil-Koni distributor, P.B. Hoidale, has a commitment to service goes behind the sales and shop floors, to lifting up those who need it most.

And it’s been that way for 70 years. Steve Dixon’s great grandfather, Peter Bernard (P.B.) Hoidale, founded the company that bears his name in 1946. An immigrant from Norway who arrived in the U.S. in the early 1900s, Hoidale had pursued the American Dream by working various jobs throughout his life.

Then, when he turned 50, he decided he wanted to start something all his own and become his own boss. So he founded a company in Wichita, Kansas, to provide fuel storage tanks and pumping units. By the 1970s, the company opened branch offices in other parts of the state.

Since then, the company has continued growing and diversifying. Steve Dixon’s father Rick worked in the family business for more than four decades, and still comes in a few times a week. Steve started helping out around the place as a teenager and has worked there full time for the past 21 years. He has served as president for the past eight years and was also named CEO about a year ago.

“It’s a great big blessing to be involved in a family business,” said Dixon.

For more than a decade, P.B. Hoidale has sold Stertil-Koni’s industry leading heavy duty lifts.

“We are proud of our fantastic partnership with P.B. Hoidale,” said Dr. Jean DellAmore, president of Stertil-Koni. “And we are proud the company and team does so much for the community.”

That’s because P.B. Hoidale works hard to lift up more than vehicles.

“One of our corporate philosophies is to be great community partners,” said Dixon. “We aim to leave the community a better place every day.”

And so, Dixon encourages his team to get involved in their communities, both locally and globally. Setting an example, Dixon volunteers with a friend who leads an outreach program for men leaving prisons in Kansas.

“We help guys get into the swing of things with life outside prison,” said Dixon. “We help them find a safe place to live, get a decent job, meet new people, and find ways to reintegrate into the community.”

PB Hoidale Helping Those in Need
Taking his community spirit even farther, Dixon and his family led a group of people from their longtime church, Pathway, on a mission trip to Kenya. In one of Nairobi’s slums, the group worked with local partners for two weeks, distributing food and teaching children.

“It was wonderful to get to know people from a different culture,” said Dixon. “We saw how we are all very much alike and have similar wants and needs, wherever we are.”

Dixon and his family also volunteered with disadvantaged youth on the White River Apache Reservation in Arizona, where they helped out with home improvement.

“We met a lot of great kids, some of whom did not have the opportunities many other kids have. We learned to be thankful and to give back to people who don’t have a lot.”

Such volunteer work has been a great bonding experience for his family, Dixon adds, including his wife, Julie, and kids Elizabeth, 15, and Ben, 12.

“Working at a family business makes you really want to get out of bed each day,” Dixon adds.