Badger Common’Tater January 2017 Issue
Interview with John Kotek, V&H Inc. Trucks
John Kotek
By Joe Kertzman, managing editor
One of the largest dealers of Western Star trucks in the country, V&H Inc. Trucks not only sells high-quality heavy truck equipment and products, but also helps ensure the vehicles stay in top running order through service specialists.
In June 1966, Warner VonHozen and Floyd Hamus purchased V&H, Inc. from the Felker Family. The business was a Ford Lincoln Mercury car and light truck franchise and a Ford duty truck franchise.
In the late 1970’s, a full line Chrysler franchise was added to the dealership. From the beginning, the two owners felt that the growth part of the dealership would be in the heavy truck market.
Along with selling trucks, the dealership had the idea of selling a complete package unit to the customer. This would be the right truck chassis with the proper equipment for the applicable job at hand, mounted and ready for work.
V&H first entered the logging market by offering customers complete packages—trucks, cranes, log racks, and training and service after the sale. Units of this type were sold throughout Wisconsin and Michigan, and V&H controlled the logging market.
This concept led to markets like milk hauling, dump trucks, city delivery trucks and many other vocational markets.
Today, V&H Trucks boasts locations in Marshfield, Prentice and Madison, Wisconsin; Kansas City, Kansas; and Charlotte, North Carolina.
