Tom Rosztoczy is CEO of Stotz Equipment, of Avondale, Ariz., a Dealership of the Year Alumni company, and also a Farm Equipment Dealer Hall of Fame inductee (with his late father, Ferenc.)

Editor’s Note: Farm Equipment magazine asked its Alumni Group (comprised of recipients of the Dealership of the Year Award and Hall of Fame) a thought-provoking question that we call the “It’s a Wonderful Life Question.” In the famed Christmas movie, protagonist George Bailey gets to see – via a dramatic intervention by an angel named Clarence Odbody – what the world might have been like had he never been born. Similarly, we asked our award-winning executives to ponder that same challenging question, and to consider how their communities might have been altered had their businesses “failed to launch” or perhaps failed to survive trying times. Here’s what we learned. – Mike Lessiter, editor/publisher.

What if Stotz Equipment wasn’t here?

I have often wondered about that myself. Are we making a difference? Or is the analogy of the finger in the bucket of water appropriate? That is, we like to feel like we are making a difference, but if we were not here, somebody else would be doing most of the same things we are doing – selling equipment and supporting customers.

Our purpose statement at Stotz Equipment is “Creating a better life for our families, communities and those connected to the land.” I think the simplest way to answer the question is to use that statement as a frame of reference. In the big picture, I’m not sure much would be different. But in personal interactions with our Stotz folks, our communities and our customers, we’re told our approach is different than most. And as such, some of those individual circumstances would have been different.

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CHANGED LIVES. Stotz Equipment’s Tom and Jill Rosztoczy, with sponsored student Erika, her sister, and their parents.

Employees. With respect to our employees, I’m reminded of a story told by Steve. He worked for another dealership we acquired several years ago. Soon after the deal closed, Steve found out that significant medical claims incurred by his family under the old dealer’s health insurance program were not going to be covered because the old dealer had not paid his premiums for months. Steve mentioned the problem to us. We decided to cover Steve’s bills for him. I don’t think most dealers would have done that. In that moment, we made a big difference in Steve’s life. There are many more stories like Steve’s, where we are creating a better life for our families.

Communities. With respect to our communities, Stotz has been supporting a program for years that offers to pay for the college education of groups of third graders from socio-economically challenged schools – if they can get into college. Erika was in the first group of kids we sponsored. The opportunity caused her to change how she thought about her education – from something required but pointless to something that opened up the American Dream. 

It also caused her family to change how they thought about education. Erika has a sister who is 4 years younger. The family committed to create the same opportunity for her sister, even though they had no idea how they would do it. In December, Erika graduated college with a degree in Criminal Justice, and her younger sister was accepted to Stanford – on a full ride. Their future is brighter because we were here, and just one of many examples of us creating a better life for our communities.

Customers. With respect to customers, we started a program a few years ago where we benchmark machine performance across a broad range of customers to help them all understand how to improve their efficiencies. Today, using combines as an example, the customers who participate in our benchmarking program are 20% more productive with their machines than their neighbors who do not participate. I’m not aware of other dealers doing similar things. For these customers we are making a difference – creating a better life for those connected to the land.

Tom Rosztoczy

“It caused her to change how she thought about her education – from something required but pointless to something that opened up the American Dream…” —Tom Rosztoczy

I think the answer for Stotz is similar to the answer for George Bailey. We can’t claim to have changed the world. There would be a John Deere dealer covering our territory if we were not here. Wages would be earned and paid, customers would be sold and serviced. Crops would be sown and harvested. The community would benefit either way. 

But the lives of Steve, his family, and the many other employees we have helped … as well as the lives of Erika, her family, and the many other members of the community we have supported … and the lives of our combine customers and the many other customers we have helped. All these would not quite be what they are today. Together, we have been creating a better life for our families, communities and those connected to the land. 

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