Don Goebel – Maxim Crane Works

When Don Goebel joined Maxim Crane Works as chief legal officer and chief tax officer, he brought with him more than legal expertise—he brought a philosophy. His goal was to help the company grow by returning to the fundamentals that made it strong in the first place. That meant prioritizing safety, empowering regional operations, and ensuring every part of the business operated with clarity and consistency.

“We’ve really focused on getting back to basics,” Goebel said. “That means doing the small things right, being consistent, and keeping our people and customers at the center of everything.”

Maxim Crane Works is the largest coast-to-coast provider of comprehensive lifting services in the United States. With one of the world’s most modern fleets of mobile cranes, including conventional crawlers, hydraulic truck cranes, rough terrain, tower cranes, and more, Maxim provides lifting solutions for virtually any project. Its safety and maintenance programs are widely regarded as the industry benchmark, promoting maximum uptime with minimal delays.

For Goebel, the company’s commitment to safety and operational excellence aligns perfectly with his back-to-basics mindset. As he sees it, a business that focuses on stability, safety, and regional engagement can continue to evolve even in an unpredictable environment.

Understanding the customer

At the beginning of Maxim’s transformation, Goebel and his legal team helped lead an internal initiative to connect directly with customers through surveys. The goal was simple but powerful: understand what Maxim was doing well and where it could improve.

“We asked our customers what mattered most to them, not what we thought mattered,” Goebel said. “We repeated that process again in early 2025 and found the results were very consistent, which told us that our customers value reliability, safety, and communication above all else.”

That customer insight helped guide the company’s strategic plan, particularly as the market changed in the wake of the pandemic. Goebel’s 13-member legal team has played a critical role in enabling the company to adapt to a shifting industrial landscape.

In recent years, much of their attention has turned to supporting Maxim’s work in repatriating industrial and manufacturing activities within the United States. As supply chains reshaped and domestic production resurged, Maxim positioned itself as a trusted partner for companies rebuilding or expanding operations closer to home.

Simultaneously, Goebel and his team have supported the company’s move into clean energy projects—including wind, solar, and hydroelectric power—while facilitating conversions of coal-fired power plants to natural gas, particularly in Pennsylvania. These projects underscore Maxim’s commitment to sustainability and its role in supporting the nation’s energy transition.

“The increased demand for energy from things like data centers and e-commerce has really driven new opportunities,” Goebel explained. “We’re helping build the infrastructure that supports that growth, from new power plants to large-scale warehouses.”

By being closely integrated into operations, the legal and tax departments have become more than compliance functions—they’re strategic partners helping drive the company’s success.

Improving safety and operational excellence

Safety has always been a cornerstone of Maxim Crane Works, but under Goebel’s leadership, the company has doubled down on its commitment. His team has played a vital role in updating safety metrics, implementing new programs, and embedding safety awareness into every level of the organization.

Two of the most impactful initiatives have been the 5s program and operational excellence, both designed to standardize and simplify processes across the company’s many regional branches. Additionally, Maxim has implemented telematics technology to monitor its fleet and ensure full compliance with Department of Transportation regulations.

“The data we’re getting from telematics has been transformative,” Goebel said. “It helps us identify risks earlier, coach our drivers, and prevent incidents before they happen.”

The results have been impressive. By prioritizing safety and focusing on continuous improvement, Maxim achieved a 50 percent decrease in its Total Recordable Incident Rate in 2024. The company also recorded a 42 percent reduction in total auto liability claims, a 34 percent decrease in collision claims, and an astounding 71 percent drop in rear-end collisions.

These results have not only improved the company’s insurance renewals but have also strengthened its reputation as an industry leader in safety and reliability.

“Every statistic tells a story,” Goebel said. “Those numbers represent fewer injuries, less downtime, and more confidence from our customers and employees. That’s what makes it meaningful.”

For Goebel, these accomplishments illustrate the value of treating legal, tax, and risk management functions as integral parts of operations. By embedding these functions into day-to-day decision-making, the company builds a more resilient foundation for growth.

Teaching and giving back

Beyond his responsibilities at Maxim, Goebel’s passion for education and mentorship remains a defining part of who he is. He currently serves as an adjunct professor at the University of Florida, where he teaches courses that combine his extensive experience in tax law and corporate governance.

“I’ve always believed that teaching helps you stay sharp,” he said. “When you engage with students, you have to articulate complex ideas in clear ways, and that process deepens your own understanding.”

He also mentors interns from Duquesne University School of Law and the University of Pittsburgh School of Law, guiding the next generation of legal professionals. These mentorships are as rewarding for Goebel as they are for the students.

“I learn from them too,” he said. “They bring new perspectives, new questions, and an energy that reminds you why you got into this profession in the first place.”

Goebel’s own educational journey reflects a lifelong commitment to learning. He earned his undergraduate degree from the University of Pittsburgh, his Juris Doctor from Ohio Northern University, and his Master of Laws in Taxation from the University of Florida. That foundation has been essential in shaping his multidisciplinary approach to leadership—one that blends technical skill with a strong sense of purpose and mentorship.

A unified path forward

As Maxim Crane Works continues to evolve, Goebel remains focused on reinforcing the foundational principles that have sustained the company’s success for decades. Safety, operational discipline, and regional engagement remain at the heart of its strategy, ensuring that Maxim not only grows but grows responsibly.

His efforts to create unified, efficient operations under the Maxim brand are producing tangible results. The company’s strong safety record, renewed customer trust, and growing presence in energy and infrastructure projects all point toward a future built on stability and purpose.

Through it all, Goebel continues to view his work through a people-first lens—whether he’s advising executives, mentoring law students, or ensuring employees get home safely at the end of each day.

“We’re all part of something bigger than ourselves,” he said. “If we stay grounded in our principles and focused on the people we serve, the results will follow.”

In guiding Maxim Crane Works through its next chapter, Goebel has shown that real leadership is about more than managing change—it’s about mastering the fundamentals, teaching others to do the same, and never losing sight of what matters most.