Otto Nelson Moving & Storage
6203 28th Ave., Kenosha
Industry: Moving and storage
Employees: 20
ottonelsonmoving.com
Otto Nelson arrived in America when he was 19 years old. He and his wife, Marie, settled in Kenosha County, where they made a living farming for almost 20 years. In 1919, Nelson made the decision to purchase a truck and start a moving business.
Today, almost a century later, the company still operates under the same founding philosophies and a commitment to service, work ethic and integrity.
Tom Nelson, Otto’s grandson, has been with the company 59 years and co-owns it with George Follensbee and Jeff Zastoupil.
The company still provides relocation solutions for businesses and individuals throughout southeastern Wisconsin, the Midwest and beyond.
In 2016, Otto Nelson Moving & Storage added another 5,000 square feet to its facility. The project included an additional dock area and yard improvements, Follensbee said.
Tom Nelson still provides guidance in a support role to Follensbee and Zastoupil, but is trying to stay retired, Follensbee said.
Otto Nelson currently has 35 pieces of equipment, more than 20,000 square feet of warehouse space and employs approximately 20 people.
“We would not have taken these steps (to grow) if not for the business climate of Kenosha County,” Follensbee said.