EVANSVILLE − A third generation has taken the helm of United Companies, a family-owned collection of companies based in Evansville that employs more than 4,400 people across 40 states and manages a portfolio of client- and corporate-owned assets in all 50 states and Canada.
Amy Romain Barron is now CEO, taking over the role from her father, Ronald D. Romain, who had held it since 1986 and is now executive chairman.
Romain’s father, Robert Romain Sr., founded the firm in 1964 and was the first to offer auto leasing options to Tri-State businesses. Daily car rentals began in 1966.
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The main branches of the business are United Leasing & Finance; Professional Transportation Inc., which provides crew transportation services for railroads throughout the Midwest; Romain Automotive Group; and Tri-State Aero, the fixed base operation at Evansville Regional Airport. Tri-State Aero was acquired in 2022.
Romain attributed the company’s six decades of success to “our ability to attract and develop high-performing team members over a long period of time. Their understanding of our culture, customer relationships, process improvement initiatives and commitment to our community are all elements that have provided our platform for growth.”
Barron agreed that the firm’s employees are crucial to the company’s ongoing growth; the company wants to help foster their education and personal and professional development.
“We have very intentional plans for employees to grow and develop” in those areas, she said. “I look forward to continued focus on the growth and development of our people as they are key to our continued growth and success.”
Barron graduated from Indiana University in 1998 with a bachelor’s degree in public management. She has spent her entire career in the family business, most recently as vice president of United Companies.
“I’m excited for this next chapter as CEO of United Companies and to continue leading our teams in the work we do with our clients and communities across the country,” she said. “We are fortunate to have great leadership and employees across all of our businesses, and United Companies as a whole is poised for further growth and success in the future.”
Romain said the transition was sparked by his daughter’s professional development.
“Amy’s development and our internal transition plan have progressed to the point where she is prepared and ready to assume the CEO responsibilities,” he said. “I am proud of the intentionality we put in place over the years, around her development and making the transition in a planned and appropriate manner.”
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Romain said his new role as executive chairman marks a stepping back from the day-to-day operations of Romain Automotive Group and United Leasing & Finance.
“I will continue working with Amy on the transition of Professional Transportation, Inc. and Tri-State Aero over the next year,” he said.
He doesn’t expect his life to change that much.
“In terms of my time, nothing is changing,” he said. “I love my work and our group of businesses and intend to stay very active. We are continuing to search for acquisition opportunities as well as expanding our core group of businesses. I plan to work closely with our network of investment bankers and market resources, to seek out investments that make sense for us.”
Along with the business interests already mentioned, United Companies also has investments across a wide swath of the economy, according to its website, ranging from commercial real estate and providing specialized services to the blasting and mining industries, the restaurant industry, hotel and airport buses, funeral vehicles, medical equipment, and government contracts.
So, will there eventually be a fourth generation of the family heading United Companies someday? Barron said she’s not sure. She has three daughters and if any – or all – of them took an interest in the company, she would certainly encourage that.
“However, it will never be expected as I want them each to feel free to forge their own paths,” she said.