Above: The Southern Elevator management team: (l-r) Treasurer Kim Redmond, Chairman Rodney Pitts, Vice President Tony Tovsen.

From Elevator World Magazine – January 2010
Southern Elevator Takes Business to New Heights

Founder by elevator engineer M. B. Toler in 1949, Southern Elevator Co., Inc., began as a manufacturer of elevator systems, but has evolved over the last six decades into one of the leading service and modernization contractors in the southeast U.S. Based in Greensboro, North Carolina, the company was sold for estate reasons to Rodney C. Pitts in 1991. With experience in private-equity investing, a familiarization with elevator companies, and degrees from Duke University and the University of Chicago Business School, Pitts recognized the potential of the company. He saw the future lay not in manufacturing, but in service.

At the time of the acquisition, Pitts promoted Bryant Aydelette, Toler’s grandson, to executive vice president and later president of the company. The two of them began to develop a client base for the company’s service oriented business. Today, Southern Elevator offers contracts for full-service maintenance as well as examination and lubrication. Its trained technicians perform a range of services from repair to complete refurbishments. The customer base has expanded to include commercial office buildings, medical facilities, nuclear and coal-fired power plants, sports and entertainment centers, retail outlets, government offices and military bases, airports, manufacturing plants and universities.

Aydelette retired three-and-one-half years ago, but Pitts continues as chairman of the company. Tony Tovsen is vice president Operations and Kim Redmond is treasurer. “the three of us make up our top management team,” Pitts explained.
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Above: The original facility on Ashe Street in Greensboro

Since the early 1990s, Southern Elevator has expanded beyond its base throughout North Carolina and into South Carolina and Virginia with the acquisition of Mountain Elevator (Asheville, North Carolina), Piedmont Elevator (Danville, Virginia), Quality Elevators (Wilson, North Carolina), and Atlantic Elevator (Myrtle Beach, South Carolina). It has grown from two branches to six. Southern Elevator has more than 1,200 clients in three states and maintains more than 4,000 units.
Above: The home office and plant on O’Connor Street in Greensboro in the late 1950s.

In moving from manufacturing and installation to a pure service company, Pitts recognized the differences between the large, multinational elevator corporations and regional companies like Southern Elevator. “Regional companies focus on getting closer to the customer, by educating, empowering and choosing talented and trustful technicians to represent the company,” he explained.

As part of Southern Elevator’s training program, weekly safety meetings keep technicians abreast of the latest procedures. They are also qualified to maintain and repair all types and brands of elevator equipment. In its repair and modernization work, Southern Elevator only uses non-proprietary elevator controls.

Pitts explained how the company successfully made the transition to what it is today:

“By being able to service a huge variety of elevator brands and models, we have been able to accommodate major clients like universities, hospitals, and federal, state and municipal buildings as well as small commercial applications.”

“Elevators may not be ‘sexy,’ per se, but Southern Elevator has a client list that reads like a ‘Who’s Who’ of business and industry of the Carolinas. Coupled with top-shelf mechanics and an effective, streamlined administrative core, we knew we could bring the company back to a position of strength.”
Above: Mechanic Michael (Mike) Garvey servicing an elevator at Duke Hospital

Greater Charlotte Biz reported on the company’s growth in 2005.

Not content with simply celebrating its 60th Anniversary of operations, Southern Elevator redid its website (www.southernelevator.com) in 2009. It also revamped its marketing and promotion. According to Pitts, “In recent years, as managers and supervisors have retired, younger managers and supervisors have been promoted from within and others have been brought into the company to continue it’s growth into the future.

The stated goal of Pitts and Southern Elevator is to provide their customers with “The highest quality service at a competitive price.” As its website declares:

“Every product we sell must meet our stringent standards for quality and performance. We are dedicated to protecting your investment, reducing your liability and providing assurance that your vertical transportation equipment performs reliably and safely.”

This dedication to meeting the needs of its customers has allowed Southern Elevator to not only survive changing economic conditions over the course of six decades, but also to grow into the company it is today.

Below: A sample of products offered in the 1950s company brochure.
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