Madera Tractor still going after 64 years

Just outside the Madera city limits where Howard Road becomes Avenue 14 again, sits the Petrucci family tractor dealership, Madera Tractor and Implements Company.

The business was founded by brothers Raymond and Gino Petrucci in 1952. The original building was on 6th Street near downtown Madera. After a short stint in a building on Olive Avenue, they moved to their permanent facility at 24476 Ave. 14 in 1957. The brothers sold and serviced Allis Chalmers tractors.

The company is now owned by Gino’s son, Tom and wife Carol, Debbie Dolio and her grandson Matthew Dolio.

Carol retired at the end of the school year as a music teacher for Madera Unified School District. Her last assignment was head of the music department at Thomas Jefferson Middle School. Earlier in her career, she traveled throughout the district to bring the joy of music into the lives of thousands of elementary school children, Tom said.

Tom and Carol’s son in-law, Toby Neal, married daughter, Monica Petrucci,and handles new tractor sales. Monica teaches dance classes for Fresno Unified School District.

“Toby is doing a really good job for us,” Tom said.

Today, Madera Tractor represents Kubota, Land Pride and Bush Hog and employs eight people. The Petrucci’s other daughter, Lt. Col. Nicole Petrucci is married to Lt. Col Christopher Buckley in the United States Army.

Tom Petrucci, Gino’s son, is at the helm of the family business today.

“We sell tractor tires, parts, hardware and oil,” said Tom. “We have four mechanics on duty and run two service trucks.”

They work on all tractor models not just the ones they sell. They also offer commercial and residential lawn mowers from Kubota and Walker Manufacture Company.

“They both make great mowers,” he said. “The big orange mowers are Kubota and the big yellow ones are Walker.”

Madera Tractor supplies mowers for many of the grounds maintenance crews from Madera Unified School District and Madera County.

Growing up Tom and his brother Gino Jr. helped their dad farm alfalfa, cotton, corn and seed onions.

Tom and his father both operated land leveling companies.

Gino Petrucci Sr. was honored as Senior Farmer of the Year in 1984.

Each segment of the business supports the company in its own way, said Tom. As each growing years progresses there are times when the repair department is the lion’s share of the work. The parts department enables growers to make repairs and maintain their own equipment.

Since the death of his cousin Richard Dolio on Sept. 5, 2015 Tom worked at the dealership full-time. Dolio was the son of Gino and Raymond’s sister Marina Petrucci Dolio. He began working for his uncles after earning a bachelor’s degree from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo. He later became a partner in the business and worked there 53 years.