April Letters

LaVerne Charlet Reflects on Long Career, Growing Industry

LaVerne Charlet Reflects on Long Career, Growing Industry

After spending about 45 years manufacturing and marketing vacuum equipment for the liquid waste industry, I am retiring as owner of LC Tanks Inc. I want to thank hundreds of customers, friends, suppliers and associates for their support over the years. I am going to single out five entrepreneurs who influenced my life and the liquid waste industry.

In the late 1960s, Leland Pearson and his brother started a company that built liquid manure spreaders using vacuum pumps. He approached me with his idea of putting vacuum tanks on trucks for pumping septic tanks and asked me to lead this company. In 1973 we started I.M.E. I think of him often with many fond memories of our travels.

Eugene Henry “Hank’’ Schlomka, one of my first customers, bought a tank and pump from me in 1967 and many more over the years. Hank was my best unpaid salesman and has helped many people in his area start pumping companies. A loyal supporter of the pumping industry, he has attended every trade show.

Keith Huber, who I knew from when he was in high school. We were from the same hometown and Keith worked for me at I.M.E. We traveled together for a couple of years and had more fun than any two people deserve. Keith started his own company that became a leader in the industry. After Keith’s untimely death in 2008, his daughter Suzi took control. She has the same drive as Keith and will keep the company an industry leader for many years. I miss him; we laughed together often.

In 2002, whirlwind entrepreneur Mel Paul told me he would be interested in building aluminum vacuum tanks. I supplied him with an engineer and a talented production foreman. He told me he would make me a Progress distributer. So I started LC Tanks.

Last, but not least, the man who has done the most for everyone in this industry, in my opinion. A special thanks to Bob Kendall and COLE Publishing for the work and vision to give the pumping industry a medium to find suppliers for their needs and a trade show to meet manufactures and distributors and kick the tires on all the shiny new equipment. At the Pumper & Cleaner Expo, companies display and sell the support products you use every day. The Education Day classes keep pumpers informed on laws and regulations. The monthly Pumper, PRO, Cleaner, and other COLE magazines keep you up to date on what’s new in your industry.

I have sold the assets of LC Tanks Inc. to Mike and Marie Kauffman, owners of L.T. & E. Inc., in Arcola, Ill. They have assembled many vacuum tanks and pumping systems for me since 2002. They take pride in the quality and expertise of theirs workmanship.

LaVerne Charlet

Paducah, Ky.



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