Minneapolis — Member companies of the Farm Equipment Manufacturers Assn., which represents about 700 businesses in the farm implement industry in the United States and Canada, elected two members to its 16-person Board of Directors today. Hours later, the Board of Directors elected officers.

Association member companies elected:

  • Brad Baker, Salford Group. Baker is product manager at Salford, a global supplier of tillage, seeding, and granular application equipment based in Salford, Ontario, Canada. The company has five North American manufacturing sites and one in Russia. Baker has been at Salford since 2007
  • Craig Harthoorn, H&S Manufacturing. Harthoorn is president at H&S Manufacturing, a Marshfield, Wis., company and manufacturer of tools for hay production, manure handling, and feed handling. Before joining H&S, Harthoorn was president for an Alamo Group company and held leadership positions at Kinze Manufacturing.

The men were elected to three-year terms during the Association’s annual Marketing & Distribution Convention, which was hosted this year in Minneapolis. They join 14 other executives who represent a segment of the agricultural industry that designs and produces equipment to complement mass-produced lines. The Association, which is based in St. Louis, serves as the collective voice, advocate, and resource for the industry.

Among first tasks for the new directors was to join the full board in electing new officers. Serving as Association president for 2019 will be Nick Jensen, who is president of Thurston Manufacturing Co. in Thurston, Neb. The company manufactures fertilizer injection and conservation tillage equipment, lawn and landscape attachments and mobile grilling systems. It also manages a contract manufacturing facility.

Jensen joined the family business in 2003 and served in a series of roles before becoming president. His father Layton, mother Carolyn and brother Ryan are active in the company’s operations. Layton Jensen served as president of this Association in 2000. Serving with Jensen for one-year terms on the 2019 executive committee will be:

  • First Vice President Janea Danuser, who is vice president and co-owner of Danuser Machine Co. in Fulton, Mo.
  • Second Vice President Matt Westendorf, general manager of Westendorf Manufacturing Co. in Onawa, Iowa.
  • Secretary Tim Burenga, vice president of sales and purchasing at Worksaver, Inc.
  • Treasurer Paul Jeffrey, general manager at MacDon.

Stan McFarlane, vice president for McFarlane Manufacturing Co., Inc., in Sauk City, Wis., completed his term as Association president. He will transition to an ex officio role.