Episode 138:🎙️35 Years in the Game: Rusty Parke's Legacy in Foodservice Equipment Repair

🎙️35 Years in the Game: Rusty Parke's Legacy in Foodservice Equipment Repair

In this episode of Commercial Kitchen Chronicles, host Pat Finley reconnects with a true mentor and industry legend — Rusty Parke, who has been grinding in the foodservice equipment repair industry for over 35 years. From crawling in attics at age 12 to helping shape companies and careers, Rusty’s story is a blueprint for resilience and growth in the trades.

We trace his journey from the early GCS days, where he hired Pat and countless other techs, to his pivotal roles in launching a foodservice repair sector at SafeCare and later joining Vanco, where he played a key role in building and expanding their operations.

🔧 This one’s packed with real-world wisdom and career-defining lessons.

Rusty opens up about:

• His early start in the trades and being mentored by old-school techs

• Transitioning from the field to leadership and mentoring roles

• The strategy and challenges behind building SafeCare’s foodservice division from the ground up

• Helping Vanco grow into a respected name in the service game

• What’s changed — and what still matters most — in technician culture

• Why developing the next generation of techs is the legacy he’s proudest of

💡 With insights on career longevity, mentorship, and industry evolution, this episode is a must-listen for anyone serious about the foodservice repair industry.

🚀 Sponsored by TrueTechTools.com — trusted HVACR and service tools for pros who get the job done right.

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Rusty Parke on LinkedIN

https://www.linkedin.com/in/rusty-parke-14670b32/

Commercial Kitchen Chronicles

https://commercialkitchenchronicles.com

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