Customer Spotlight – Larry Urick

A fifty-year career isn’t something many people can brag about in their lifetime.  In 1973 when Larry Urick got his driver’s license, he went straight to work for his father, Peter, driving crawlers, scrapers and trucks.  It was the next year his family purchased their first Mack truck, which started his life-long partnership with Mack.

It was in 1965 when Peter Urick started his own construction and gravel hauling business in Saskatchewan.  His only son Larry, was by his side and eventually took over the business which evolved into Keelar Contracting Ltd.  “We bought a Mack truck in 1974 and started hauling gravel. Things were slow back then, but we just kept going,” he recalls. Today Larry works with his two sons to keep the business running strong. Larry takes pride in showing off family photos of his father and sons with a Mack truck in the background. He even met his wife of forty-four years while driving a truck on a road construction crew.

Larry with his first Mack Truck (1974).

Larry’s career started at the young age of seventeen.  His family purchased their first Mack truck in 1974 and have owned twenty-two Macks since then.  Redhead Equipment has been their local dealership since 1990 when they became the authorized Mack dealer in Saskatchewan. Over the last fifty years Larry has seen every highway and knows almost every gravel pit in the province. His commitment to the business is evident in how he’s continued to carry the torch. In 2006, his father passed away, but Larry and his sons—Keegan and Logan—continued to grow the business. Today, the company operates three trucks and trailers, with both of Larry’s sons actively involved. “The boys keep me motivated,” says Larry. “Logan’s been driving for eleven years, and Keegan has been a service tech at Redhead Equipment for over a decade. They’ve both carried on what my father and I started.”

The Urick’s equipment lineup (1995).

Currently the company gets most of their work from road construction crews like ASL Paving.  Over the years Larry recalls that he has seen a lot of change in the construction industry, with improvements and advancements to the equipment.  With these improvements he notes the rising cost of equipment as being one of the biggest challenges he faces but having a strong professional relationship with Redhead Equipment has made for a lasting impression. The family’s connection to Redhead Equipment goes back many years. Larry’s father, a skilled mechanic, always had a preference for Mack trucks, which led to a longstanding relationship with Redhead Equipment, a Mack dealer. “My dad always liked Redhead.”

This relationship has been pivotal for the Urick family, not just for reliable trucks, but for the consistent service provided by Redhead Equipment’s team. Over the years, Larry’s son Keegan would visit Redhead Equipment with his grandfather to pick up parts, a connection that still endures. “Keegan started working at Redhead over ten years ago, and it’s nice to see how he’s continued that tradition with the team there,” says Larry.

Peter, Keegan, and Larry (1991).

In the fall of 2024 Larry decided he would take the winter off from driving but will be back at it in the spring.  He is still very involved in the business and is in the shop daily managing the day-to-day operations. “I may be sixty seven, but I’m not retired yet,” says Larry. “I work ten to twelve hours a day, especially in the summer months. I start in May and work through October. I’ve always been the kind of person who stays busy.”

Through all these challenges, Larry’s dedication to his family, employees, and the business remains unwavering. “I’m still working because I like what I do. I can’t just sit idle, and the work gives me purpose. When my wife retires in a couple of years, maybe we’ll slow down a bit,” he says with a smile. His wife, who is a school educational assistant, has been a constant presence in his life for forty four years. “We’ve been together since 1980, and we’ve spent a lot of time traveling, buying equipment, and working together. It’s been a good life.”

Even as Larry continues to work, he still holds on to a sense of adventure. If he could drive anywhere in his Mack truck, he would choose the Alaska Highway. “I’ve always been intrigued by road building. The Alaska Highway, with all its history, would be a dream trip for me,” he shares.