Torgerson’s LLC and Case IH donated $20,000 in tools and accessories to Montana State Univ. Northern in Havre, Mont., on April 17, 2014. The donation will provide the tools needed to equip on of the school’s shop bays, which will be known as the Torgerson/Case IH Bay.

Torgersons has been working with MSUN for a number of years and annually donates over $1 million worth of new equipment for students to use for their labs and projects. Wayne Fischer, vice president of operations at Torgerson’s says the company usually donates a Quadtrack tractor, sprayer, combine and other tractors each year. “It’s always new equipment so they can have the latest and greatest,” he says.

Fischer says the partnership doesn’t just help the students, but has helped Torgerson’s as well. “They’ve been our number one source of new technicians. The students are a great sounding board for us on how to recruit technicians,” he says. “It’s been a very big positive for our employees as well. So many of our employees interact with the college whether it’s through a career day or some training. If we can send a couple of our service managers up there to visit with these kids, they come back 20 years younger. They see the excitement in these kids and that does a lot for our people to feel like they are part of these kids training and education.”