Watts Equipment Company
Community is an essential part of what it means to be human. None of us can thrive by ourselves; we need each other’s helping hands to stand strong throughout the storms of life. This mindset of strength through connection is what transforms communities from merely existing to flourishing and businesses from being simply good to being something great.
Watts Equipment Company is one such great business. The forklift dealer and service company has been operating since 1967, a family-owned, woman-owned, local gem. Guided by the loyal leadership and hard work of their CEO, Shirley Perreira, the roots of Watts Equipment Company have sunk deeply into the Central Valley, creating a beautiful legacy for a company that puts employees, customers and community above all else.
When Shirley first began working at Watts Equipment Company, she was stepping in to cover shifts for a college friend, planning to return to school once the semester began. But the owner, Brock Watts, asked her to stay, promising to teach her everything she’d need to know to be successful in the business. She agreed to take a semester off from her business classes to gain some hands-on experience. Now, 39 years later, she proudly holds the title of CEO. “If he hadn’t believed in me and seen something in me,” Shirley affirmed, “I wouldn’t be where I am today.”
Shirley quickly learned how important their work was at Watts Equipment Company. Transportation is the lifeblood of commerce. As she said, “If equipment isn’t running, nothing gets moved.” Without the essential work of companies like Watts Equipment, the world would grind to a halt. She learned each and every aspect of the trade. From being parts runner to parts technician, then developing the customer service department, then becoming GM and president before her current title as CEO, she noted, “I basically came up doing every job at the place.” “It’s fun, and it’s never boring!” When she started working at Watts Equipment, there were 10 to 12 employees. Now there are 90. “It isn’t a job, it’s a career,” Shirley said. “I’m surrounded by great employees who I lean on every day.”
The job was not easy, especially as a woman in a field almost entirely dominated by men. Shirley described meetings at which she was the only woman at the table, or customers who would try to trick her to test her knowledge. She dealt with both with grace and poise. “I know what I’m doing,” she’d say calmly. “I wouldn’t be doing it if I didn’t.” Shirley also spoke of the wonderful support of other colleagues and older men in the field who taught her everything they knew, never belittling her or making her feel unwelcome. The Watts family continued to support and empower her, giving her every opportunity she needed to learn and grow. “It allowed me to have my own confidence, put the work in and get myself to the level where I needed to be,” she said.
Shirley turns away from the spotlight, instead shining it on those who helped her get where she is today. She credits her parents for her indomitable work ethic and her passion for helping others, and the Watts family for giving her the opportunity to prove herself. She always looks for the chance to share with others; she knows how it can change a person’s life. “You never know what they’re going through; that smile or helping hand could change their life,” she said. Whether through their commitment to Second Harvest Food Bank, where they host a 12-day giveaway of pallet jacks to local nonprofits, or their independent partnerships with local causes, Watts Equipment Company works hard to give back to those who need it most. “We have to do our part to help the community,” she asserted.
Above all, Shirley brings the focus back to the importance of community. “Watts Equipment is a business, but it’s run by people,” Shirley said. “It thrives because we keep that same mentality of taking care of customers and employees and community. Your employees aren’t numbers; your customers aren’t numbers. They’re people. Treat everyone with respect.” It is this mindset that has helped the company flourish for nearly 60 years, mentor employees from their first day to their retirement, and build a customer base that is as loyal as it is varied.
Shirley has dedicated her entire life to Watts Equipment Company’s work and values and would do it again in a heartbeat. “I can honestly say I love going to work every day,” she smiled. “I’ve been so blessed with this job. I can’t imagine doing anything else.”
