Equipment Depot, an independently operated material handling and equipment rental source, appointed Ed Schwarz regional vice president of the Northeast region. Schwarz was hired to lead the region as the company continues to focus on its 2025 vision to reach $1 billion in revenue by year-end 2025.

As an epicenter for ports, transportation and other material handling industries, the Northeast remains one of Equipment Depot’s most prospective growth areas.

Schwarz has almost 30 years of global leadership experience and hands-on knowledge from the maritime industry. Most recently, he served as vice president of sales for marine systems at ABB, a technology provider for electrification and automation. Prior to his time at ABB, he developed product positional strategies for ZF Marine, the North American division of ZF Group, a global automotive company. He also brings experience from the Voith Group, for which he lived in Germany and managed the global aftermarket business. His tenure allowed him to achieve aggressive business goals and produce substantial growth for the company.

Schwarz is a retired officer from the U.S. Navy Reserves and was awarded the Merchant Marine Expeditionary Medal for support of Operation Enduring Freedom & Iraqi Freedom.

Schwarz stated that his attraction to Equipment Depot came from, “the diversity of the executive team’s background. Each member comes from different industries and offers a broad range of experience. It’s clear that this is a forward-thinking team — and a company that recognizes the value of individuals who offer a unique perspective to the material handling business.”

“It’s critical to add leaders passionate about guiding high-performance teams, striving to find creative solutions, and, most importantly, will always put the customers first,” Anthony Garcia, president of Equipment Depot, said. “Ed recognizes that Equipment Depot is on an upward trajectory within the market. We are grateful he is joining the team as someone who wants to innovate, experiment and take the company to the next level.”