Fifty years ago, success depended on product, availability and location. These are all still very important. However, today the human resources a dealership has, how they are empowered, how they are rewarded, and the level of commitment to customer satisfaction is the key. Great companies have great employees with a sense of urgency replicated from their management team.

Key moments have been the introduction of GMO seeds and the effects it has had on the industry, such as an increase in yields, lower inputs (herbicide), less effort for better results, and disease-resistant hybrids. Second would be auto-steer systems, which also encourages less effort for better results. Without auto-steer systems, there’d be limited precision.

Farm Equipment: Dealership of the Year.

Farm Equipment magazine is my most-respected source in the agricultural industry for information on what’s going on in the field. I can develop and implement policies and procedures based on customer needs and trends communicated in many of the magazine’s publications. Farm Equipment supports and fosters the dealership viewpoint in a highly competitive industry.

Being named Farm Equipment Dealership of the Year in 2011 remains an honor, not only for me, but for my staff. It is validation from our peers. I take pride in our efforts to support farming and all the salt of the earth people that are in this industry. I thank Farm Equipment for supporting agriculture and dealerships like mine.