HOUSTON, TX — National Trench Safety (NTS), the nation’s largest pure play trench safety solutions provider, announces the appointment of Fernando Pinera as its new Chief Executive Officer.

Pinera has a background in rental and brings over 20 years of rental, operational, sales, and financial leadership to the company. Most recently, he held the position of Chief Executive Officer for SmartEquip, an equipment lifecycle management, service, and procurement support company. He spent 13 years with SmartEquip, holding Senior Vice President Client Operations and Chief Operating Officer roles before assuming the CEO role in 2020 and leading a successful sale to Ritchie Bros. in 2021. Prior to those roles, Pinera spent 10 years with NationsRent Companies Inc., where he advanced from Vice President of Operations to Vice President of Fleet and Asset Management.

“I have known Fern for many years, and I am thrilled that he is joining the NTS team. I can confidently say that he is the perfect person to help lead the company through its next phase of growth,” said Bruce Dressel, Chairman of the Board of Directors of NTS and a Tailwind Capital Operating Executive. “He has a long and proven track record of building successful rental companies, and his skills and experience perfectly complement the leadership team at NTS."