As its name implies, Astralease is a star performer.

Like many lessors, Hauppauge, New York-based Astralease Associates has encountered shifts in the leasing landscape and evolved in order to survive—and thrive. As a New York lessor, the company found itself with yet another hurdle to confront in lessor vicarious liability. However, with the foresight to pursue new markets, unflagging enthusiasm for customer service, and aggressive policies toward both company growth and state legislation, Astralease Associates is well positioned for stellar success.

A Star Is Born
President Don Bertsch got his start in leasing when he joined Dealers Leasing Corp. in Westbury, New York, in 1969 as a driver. Over 20 years, he rose through the ranks, becoming first a salesperson, then sales manager, then vice president of sales. By then, he was starting to look beyond the walls of DLC.

In 1990, Bertsch teamed up with partner Joe Roach, who at the time was serving as controller for Fortune 500 company McKesson Corporation, to found Astralease Associates. They quickly added two more partners, Michael Brannigan and Robert Morgenstern. Today, the four continue to work together smoothly as Astralease's management.

The company has grown from three employees at its founding to 12, several of whom Bertsch has known for over 20 years, having worked with them at his previous employer. Most of Astralease's employees have been with the company for over 10 years, and Bertsch considers that low turnover to be one of the company's greatest achievements. However, Astralease is always looking for new additions to its sales force.

“We look for someone who is committed to doing the right thing for both the customer and Astralease,” says Bertsch. “They have to be committed to customer satisfaction, looking to do not just one lease with the customer, but many over the years to come.”

A New Mission
In its early years, the company's portfolio consisted of 90 percent consumer leasing and 10 percent commercial leasing. However, with the advent of zero percent and other manufacturer incentives, Astralease was forced to reexamine its mission. In the late 1990s, concerned that there limited opportunity in consumer leasing, Astralease Associates decided to focus its efforts on commercial leasing.
 

Astralease Associates' managing partners guide the company with their own brand of stellar leadership. From left: Don Bertsch, president; Michael Brannigan, vice president, sales; Robert Morgenstern, vice president, administration; Joe Roach, secretary/treasurer.

Today, Astralease's portfolio is 10 percent consumer leasing and 90 percent commercial, including many varieties of trucks. The company began leasing trucks almost as an afterthought, starting with a customer Astralease partner Michael Brannigan had known through his former employer, Dealers Leasing Corp. That customer eventually expanded, and Astra -lease expanded with them, soon leasing commercial vehicles to other companies and in other states. The company also leases equipment, and has done so since its founding, but its focus remains on commercial vehicle leasing, an endeavor Astralease has pursued to great success.

Trade Shows
One of the strategies that has contributed to that success is Astralease's frequent attendance at trade shows. The company participates in five to six trade shows per year, and those are instrumental in generating much of Astralease's business. The trade shows offer a venue for Astralease to both discover new business opportunities and interact with current vendors. “We take them to dinner and show them the appreciation we have for them, for helping us out and sending customers our way,” notes Roach.

Attending trade shows can prove expensive, but ultimately the benefits far outweigh the costs. “It can cost as little as a couple of thousand dollars to go to one trade show and maybe $8,000 to go to a big trade show,” says Bertsch. “As far as the return, we hope each show covers costs, minimally. But the opportunity to meet new vendors and potential new customers is the important thing.”

Astralease headquarters in Hauppauge, New York.

Growing Strong
That concern for employees illustrates the importance Astralease Associates places on its team. Bertsch credits the company's focus on teamwork as the foundation that keeps employees with the company for so long. “We listen to our employees the same way we listen to our partners. Everyone has an equal say, and that's what keeps us working together so well.”

Astralease's strong sense of teamwork and commitment to customer satisfaction have helped the company grow by leaps and bounds over the last 15 years. In March 2004, the company moved into its fourth location, the first building it actually purchased. “We outgrew each place we were in,” Bertsch explains. “We're now in a 2,500-square-foot building, and we sometimes wonder if we're going to outgrow that. That wouldn't be a bad thing.”

The company continues to look for new niches to pursue—new vehicles, new services, new programs—while maximizing its return in its current markets. It's a strategy that works: By September of this year, the company's sales already had surpassed its sales for all of 1st year. And on the basis of strong customer service and careful exploration of new business avenues, Bertsch foresees the company continuing to achieve steady growth in the years to come.

“We have meetings to discuss other areas we can go into and the various pros and cons,” he says. “The challenge comes when you start something new and you're not 100 percent aware of the market. We need to determine what to do with that new vehicle, how to market it, and what the remarketing potential is. Different vehicles present different challenges.”
 

Astralease employees keep the company growing strong through an unwavering commitment to customer satisfaction.  From left: Kerin Darmanin, Candace Marcoccia, Melanie Lambert, Rich Galeota, Stacey Melnick

At Astralease, a focus on teamwork ensures that partners and employees have an equal say in the company. From left: Dennis O'Connor, account executive; Peter Basini, account executive, business development; President Don Bertsch; John Bertinetti, vice president, emergency service vehicles, and Joe Genzardi, vice president, commercial vehicles.