About Ed Kostenski, President of Nationwide Equipment Ed Kostenski has been president and chief executive officer of Nationwide Equipment since founding the company in 1983. Mr. Kostenski began his career in the earthmoving equipment business at the age of 20 as a salesman for McCormick Machinery in Jacksonville, Florida in 1982. Mr. Kostenski located, inspected, and evaluated earthmoving equipment located in the United States for the company. In the fall of 1983, the company closed down due to the severity of the recession of 1981/1982. Realizing the tremendous export potential in the international markets, he founded Nationwide Equipment in late 1983. Since then, Ed has traveled extensively to over 45 nations participating in the negotiations and marketing of the company's products, successfully building the company into a multi-million dollar global export equipment sales company, which has been recognized as one of America's leading equipment exporters.

Recognized as an industry leader in the export of heavy equipment, Nationwide Equipment was awarded the "PRESIDENT'S 'E' AWARD", an award for opening up export markets given by the U.S. Secretary of Commerce on behalf of the President. In 2004 Ed received the "Chamber of Commerce 2004 International Trader of the Year Award" and also received the "2004 Governor's Business Diversification Award" for excellence as a major exporter for the State of Florida. On July 2, 2004 Ed was invited to the White House for a private meeting with President Bush to discuss small business incentives which was later followed by a press conference in the East Room with over 200 leading small business owners. In January 2005, Ed was appointed by the Export-Import Bank of The United States Board of Directors to serve on the Sub-Saharan African Advisory Committee (SAAC). The committee provides expert guidance to EXIM Bank in developing policies to strengthen EXIM Bank support of U.S. exports to Africa.

Due to the continued need to grow the company, Ed founded Nationwide Equipment Rentals in 1999 and successfully launched a leasing division that has grown to become the largest independent heavy equipment rental company in North Florida with an inventory in excess of $15 million dollars.

Ed believes that customers are his partners and employees are his greatest assets that have helped him achieve the company's current level of success.