Our Staff
Custom Solutions for Exceptional Results
Our mission at Western Equipment Solutions is to provide our partners with innovative and custom foundation drilling solutions which will directly increase your productivity, efficiency, and profitability. Our sales and support team is dedicated to getting you the right equipment to get the job done!
Sales Team
John Wilson
President
With over 30 years of sales experience and 18 years in the foundation drilling industry, John is our large-diameter drilling specialist and a key leader at Western Equipment Solutions. As the founder and current President, he leads with a practical, solutions-focused approach and has a strong ability to assemble the right equipment package to meet the demands of each job. John served 8 years in the United States Marine Corps Reserves with an honorable discharge, experience that contributes to his steady leadership style, commitment to integrity, and dedication to supporting both our team and our customers.
Craig Berninger
Sales Manager
With a background in Geology and over 34 years of experience in the drilling industry, Craig Berninger is a licensed water well contractor who provides expert consultation on geotechnical, environmental, foundation, and exploratory drilling projects. As our small-diameter drilling specialist and TEI expert, Craig brings deep technical knowledge of micropiling systems—including tooling selection, grout methods, load transfer, site constraints, and drill rig configuration—guiding contractors through complex micropile applications with precision.
Austin McCauley
Service Manager
Austin brings more than 15 years of hands-on experience operating and maintaining equipment, with specialized expertise in the oil and gas industry. Extremely dedicated to his work, he is a highly knowledgeable and dependable team member who supports a wide range of service needs. Austin’s deep technical skill set and problem-solving ability allow him to diagnose, repair, and keep virtually any machine in the industry running at peak performance.
Sean Montgomery
Sales & Business Development
Sean has spent over 25 years in business development, working with companies of all sizes to maximize their growth and operational strategies. Having spent the past 10 years in real estate development and construction services, he brings a unique perspective to the economic lifecycle of the industry. Sean has a Bachelor of Science in Industrial & Systems Engineering and a Master of Business Administration from USC.
Rich Hardman
Rental Manager
Rich joined the Western Equipment Solutions team in 2017 and specializes in rentals and consignment rentals. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Physical Geography and is a graduate of the DEA Academy, bringing a unique blend of analytical thinking and operational discipline to his role. After retiring as a Supervisory Special Agent following a distinguished career in federal law enforcement, Rich transitioned his expertise to equipment management and logistics. He is known for being exceptionally organized, detail-oriented, and truly fascinating to work with, making him a trusted resource for both our team and our customers.
David Pereira
Sales Manager, Central US
David brings over 16 years of commercial and civil construction experience, with a strong background in site work, dirt work, erosion control, and soil stabilization. With 20 plus years in sales and service, he is a hands-on representative known for delivering prompt, practical, and high-quality solutions for our customers. Based in Texas, David supports the central United States and has been instrumental in helping Western Equipment Solutions expand its reach, providing reliable support and building strong customer relationships as the company continues to grow.
Blaine Colbert
Sales & Service Director, Canada
With over 30 years in the deep foundation industry, Blaine began as a swamper in Edmonton and advanced to Operations Manager while gaining extensive hands-on experience operating drill rigs across Canada. He later moved into equipment sales and service, supporting Canadian customers with Bay Shore Systems. Blaine is excited to continue supporting the industry as part of the team at Western Equipment.
Service Team
Austin McCauley
Service Manager
Austin brings more than 15 years of hands-on experience operating and maintaining equipment, with specialized expertise in the oil and gas industry. Extremely dedicated to his work, he is a highly knowledgeable and dependable team member who supports a wide range of service needs. Austin’s deep technical skill set and problem-solving ability allow him to diagnose, repair, and keep virtually any machine in the industry running at peak performance.
Mario Fernandez
Service Coordinator
Mario worked 17 years for Champion Equipment Company and Champion Equipment Sales gaining maximum experience in drilling equipment and tooling. He has the exceptional ability to provide technical support and diagnose all your equipment. He has managed countless repairs including Kelly bar work and is a valuable asset with his bilingual skill set.
Jason (Beau) Ashcroft
Service Technician
Beau has 19 years of experience operating and managing onsite drilling operations, with expertise across deep foundation equipment including rock drills, rigs, and ancillary tooling. Based in Salt Lake City, he plays a key role in supporting and helping run the service team, serving as a hands-on, go-to resource for field support, troubleshooting, and keeping equipment running efficiently.
Troy Gagnon
Service Technician
With 4 years in the foundation industry, Troy has been working on Soilmec, Junttan, Manitowoc, and Mantis Cranes. He also has 5 years of experience working in the ag industry as a technician as well.
Colby Child
Service Technician
Colby began his career in the heavy equipment industry at just 18 years old, working for Komatsu Mining. He quickly specialized in rebuilding wheel motor transmissions for haul trucks, gaining valuable hands-on experience. Now, six years later, Colby has developed a strong proficiency in troubleshooting a wide range of heavy equipment.
Justin McArthur
Service Technician
With 22 years of experience in various industries within the mechanical field and shop repairs, spanning from the Arctic to coastal regions, Justin balances a demanding professional life with the joys of fatherhood. He is a proud father of three little ones who keep both him and his beloved wife very busy.
Brady McCleary
Service Technician
As an avid outdoorsman, Brady loves the hands on approach to problem solving. He knew from a young age that mechanics was something he would always enjoy as a career. He is excited for the opportunity to develop those skills and push himself in the foundation drilling industry.
Samuel Olivares
Service Technician
Samuel entered the technician world at SoCal equipment as a heavy equipment mechanic intern, then learned the necessary skills and advancements to begin working at Toyota material and handling solutions. Samuel was to not only repair machinery, but also aided equipment sales as a field technician. Samuel is excited to begin his advancement at Western Equipment Solutions providing quality work as well as networking opportunities for the company.
Lee Gonzalez
Service Technician
Lee has multiple decades of mechanic and problem solving experience. He is a very dedicated and a hard working team player. Fluent in Spanish, he’s always a go to guy!
Hunter Gates
Service Technician
Hunter brings years of automotive mechanic experience to the team. He now helps manage tool inventory and loading equipment with reliability and efficiency. In his free time, he enjoys power sports.
Jason South
Welder
Jason is our in-house welder, known for his skill, precision, and dedication to quality craftsmanship. Outside of work, Jason enjoys learning more about welding techniques, riding dirt bikes, and working on his truck. His passion for hands-on work and constant improvement makes him a valuable part of our team.
Parts
Christian Child
Operations Manager
Prior to Western Equipment Solutions, Christians held several positions with Komatsu Mining as a Rebuild Technician, Electrical Rebuild Technician/Machinist, and Rebuild Planner/Expediter. Previous to Komatsu, he was with Hoj Innovations as a Crane and Conveyor Field Service Technician. He is here to bridge the gap between management, sales, and service and specializes in rebuilding services for heavy equipment.
Matt Wilson
Parts Manager
Matt has been working as a spare parts manager and inventory manager for 26 years. He currently controls over 2 million dollars in inventory. Matt has attended multiple training and technical courses throughout the years. He is dedicated to servicing the customer and proactively maintaining the equipment they invest in.
Juan Lopez
Spare Parts Sales
Juan Lopez is a highly qualified Specialist with 16 years of experience in the parts sales industry. He is skilled at providing and catering to each customer’s needs, working diligently to obtain the best turnaround time to receive the parts needed. Juan is proficient in forecasting needs and ordering parts to maintain optimal inventory levels.
Jeremy Schubert
Customer Service Representative
Jeremy brings over 25 years of experience in the industrial and commercial construction industry, with the past 15 years dedicated to sales and after-sales service. Based in our Western Canada location, he oversees spare parts and warehousing operations while also supporting administrative functions. Jeremy is readily available to ensure our customers have the parts, support, and resources they need to keep their projects moving.
Jackson Pyle
Shipping & Receiving
Jackson has been working in the WES spare parts department for over 2 years now as an assistant and a shipping/receiving liaison. He has rapidly gained knowledge of the foundation industry and is always eager to learn more about the world of drilling.
Angel Hurtado
California
Angel, our Warehouse Assistant in Paramount, CA has over a year and a half of industry experience. He helps keep daily operations running smoothly and efficiently. Outside of work, Angel enjoys staying fit, exploring the outdoors, and performing as a scare actor at Universal Studios Halloween Horror Nights.
Zach Benke
Canada
Zach joined the concrete drilling industry with a strong desire to learn from the ground up and a clear goal of becoming a skilled mechanic. He brings a hands-on approach to every task, working directly with equipment to understand how each system functions. Focused on safety, reliability, and continuous learning, Zach is committed to building the technical skills needed to keep equipment operating efficiently and job sites running smoothly.
Administration
John Wilson
President
With over 30 years of sales experience and 18 years in the foundation drilling industry, John is our large-diameter drilling specialist and a key leader at Western Equipment Solutions. As the founder and current President, he leads with a practical, solutions-focused approach and has a strong ability to assemble the right equipment package to meet the demands of each job. John served 8 years in the United States Marine Corps Reserves with an honorable discharge, experience that contributes to his steady leadership style, commitment to integrity, and dedication to supporting both our team and our customers.
Celeste Wilson
Marketing Director
With a Bachelor of Science degree in psychology and an innate sense for marketing, Celeste leads promotional efforts for Western. She has a seemingly endless supply of inspiration when it comes to effective marketing and is lovingly known as the team mom of the group!
Destiny McDonald
Administrative Coordinator
Destiny has been a key member of the Western Equipment Solutions team for over 10 years and is the right-hand support to our sales team. She prepares detailed machine and tooling quotes, manages the sales activity database, oversees purchase orders, tracks tooling inventory, and assists with transportation logistics. Her precision, organization, and deep knowledge help keep sales operations running smoothly and efficiently.
Erinn Eliot
Accounting Manager
As a dedicated and detail-oriented accounting professional, Erinn is responsible for account receivables and payables as well as coordinating all accounts outside service and system implementation teams. She has been meeting the accounting needs of companies for the past 20 years. Her sincere interest and experience will quickly get you the answers you need!
Cece Coleman
Accounting
As a dedicated and detail-oriented accounting professional, CeCelyn Coleman has been meeting the accounting needs of corporations and individuals for the past 30 years. She is committed to introducing changes to achieve improvement and successfully influencing processes driving operational excellence. She seeks to leverage her curiosity and self-improvement skills to become a great asset to Western Equipment Solutions LLC.
Charity Child
Administrative Assistant
Charity Child is an experienced Administrative Assistant with a background in real estate, office administration, and retail management. Known for her organization, leadership, and problem-solving skills, she thrives in fast-paced environments and is dedicated to supporting teams with professionalism and care.
