Tim Young is the GM of Young’s Equipment, a 9-store Case IH dealer in Western Canada. He is a member of the Farm Equipment Dealership of the Year Alumni Group.

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 a ride it has been! From washing a Massey 44 at my father’s Massey Ferguson dealership at age 10 to working on my uncle’s farm in my grade 8-12 summers. In 1973, Case hired me to be a demo operator, introducing the first 2470 to Western Canada. They put me on a bus from Regina, Sask. to Winnipeg, Manitoba, and for the first 10 days I put together a WWC chisel plow (from a picture that is, no set up instructions).

Then the big beautiful 2470 arrived. I helped a bit with predelivery and the next Monday morning I hit the road. Suitcase in the cab, cultivator hooked up -- and away I went. Life was cool for an 18-year-old driving this big unit from dealership to dealership. The tractor had air conditioning and an AM radio that sometimes picked up the odd channel. The cab was state-of-the-art with sound levels of 83 decibels -- unheard of in those days. 

Tim & Lloyd Young heading off to sign the Case contract in 1988.

I put on about 40 demos at dealerships in Saskatchewan and Manitoba. I meet 40 different dealers, and they were extremely supportive as this was the first time the OEM had provided this level of support in many, many years. Average speed (due to the 37-foot triplex cultivator) was 11 mph, and I covered about 4,000 miles that summer. It was a different time, but I was hooked. 

Since then, I have only worked for Case/Case IH or for the dealerships that represented them. I was happy with my salary, but with all the travel time, and often on weekends, I soon calculated I was making less than half per hour compared to working winters at a department store. But did I mention I was hooked?

The people that I met that summer all provided me insight into the farm equipment business. Case gave me my early training. I was a Demo Specialist, Promotions Specialist, Service Rep, Territory Manager and finally Sales and Product Training manager for Canada. 

In 1981, I became a partner in the Case dealership in Regina -- this was a lifelong dream. My father had sold the Case dealership in 1973, which was when Case changed to become the Tractor Specialists and discontinued all other ag equipment. I wanted to be the dealer in Regina more than anything. 

3 Generations at Young Equipment. 2018 photo shows Tim Young (r) along Sean (ctr) with son Hunter, and Patrick Young.

My new partners were quite happy to have my youthful energy and enthusiasm and with the interest rates I had to grow that business. I borrowed $100,000 at 18% and a second $100,000 that the bank said would have to be floating -- and went as high as 21%. 

Run Tim Run. We were able to make it work as we grew from the 50^th ranked dealer in North America to Number 9 in 2 years. 

 In 1984, I was dissatisfied with being a minority shareholder and sold my shares back to my partners. This started a very important part of my development, where I worked for Case as a business analyst for the Company Store Division. I learned a lot about business metrics and saw well-run stores and some poorly run stores. It is true what they say; you learn more from the struggles than the successes. 

Tim Young (r) with Dealership of the Year Alum Keith Kreps of RDO Equipment at the inaugural Farm Equipment Dealership Minds Summit in 2013.

I was involved in the Case/IH merger and was involved in buying and selling businesses on both sides. What an incredible learning opportunity. I learned economics, negotiations and practical human resource skills. 

I did many exit interviews and set up final pay; as some people didn’t get job offers from the successful new dealer even though they had 20-30 years of experience or more. Often it was the long-serving department heads who weren’t needed. Many an afternoon appointment dragged into the evening as I tried my best to allow people a safe place to vent their disappointment and frustration. 

I was running a Case IH company store in Yorkton for a few years after the merger, another great learning experience about full line equipment dealerships. I received a phone call from a close friend who ended up at the IH dealer who was given the new Case IH franchise. It was 1988 and there was a drought, and they were in receivership. 

He suggested I buy the business. It wasn’t as easy a decision as you may think. Two of the owners went to jail for fraud and the reputation of this dealership was in the tank. No one else wanted to try and turn the place around. 

With family support, I was able to secure the franchise with support from my father, Lloyd (who re-entered the ag business after a 10-year hiatus), and my Uncle Bill and his son, Ron. They wanted us to be a family company so I wouldn’t have to deal with outside partners, and they agreed that someone must have the final say on decisions. They agreed that I would be the GM, and I had the final word. 

The greatest stories have the greatest back stories. I have had a blast working with family. My mother would tease my father and I that we shouldn’t even take any salary as we had too much fun working together. I am now fortunate enough to have two sons with me at Young’s. Sean who is Assistant GM, we should really change his title, as he is steering the ship. Sean is running the business and doing a fantastic job. My youngest son, Patrick, is responsible for occupational health and safety for our 9 stores and about 260 staff. I love having a family member responsible for this very important aspect of a long-term successful business. 

Tim Young addresses the first-ever Farm Equipment Dealership Minds Summit crowd in Kansas City.

The biggest part of our success is our amazing staff, they take care of our customers like no other dealer, and it shows. Our job is taking care of them, and I know that they feel appreciated. Trips to Vegas, Mexico or Minot. Famous staff cornhole tournaments. Christmas parties here in Regina, Sask.

Last year we had 500 people for our dinner. Staff, spouses, and kids for two nights, meals, events all day long and, because we rent the entire hotel, we can even supply free beer, including “Tractor Tim Lager” from a brewery that is part of my off hours semi-retirement plan. We spend so much time together at work, but it is always better when we have fun together along the way.

I can’t really tell you what life would be like if I wasn’t in the ag equipment business as I have only wanted to be one thing in my life: A farm equipment dealer. And so, with our future secure as a family-owned business, I am free to enjoy my time at work as I only do the parts of the job I enjoy. 

Did I mention to you that I am hooked? I am the luckiest guy in the world...