I spent a day and a half at the Dealership Minds Summit in Madison, Wisconsin in early August. It's an annual program for dealerships -- that I believe will benefit all farmers, too.
The 2024 Dealership Minds Summit, held at the Marriott Hotel & Conference Center in Madison, Wis., on August 6-7, drew a crowd of 219 attendees — including 88 first-timers — from 45 different dealerships across the United States and Canada.
As dealerships expand and add locations, there comes a point when the CEO can no longer properly oversee all aspects of the business. Executives from 3 dealerships share how they updated their organizational structures and management layers to lead the business.
Birkey’s CFO and Treasurer Ben Mast details the ins and outs of why and how the dealership group made the switch from private ownership to an employee stock ownership plan (ESOP).
In this can’t miss session, John Hawkins, director of sales & marketing, details how the 12-store group compounded its recruitment via “career-path” retention.
Johnson Tractor (Dealership of the Year Alumni Group) is on double duty at this year’s Summit, but this time the 3rd generation takes the stage to share what really happened as it entered a time of rapid growth.
During this can’t miss general session, Dusty Schulz, executive director – regional operations, walks attendees through the programs Butler has built to grow its employees and prepare them for future roles.
In this focused session "Building Your Bench", former dealer executive Wayne Brozek digs into the ins and outs of identifying, preparing and executing a program that builds your management bench.
In this special session, recently retired Leo Johnson (chairman) & Eric Reuterskiold (president/CEO) of Johnson Tractor (Dealership of the Year Alumni Group) rewind the clock and describe the succession plan they carefully scripted in 2011 and fully executed in 2021.
Centered on the theme “Proven Strategies for Precision Success,” the program featured 2-days of dealer-to-dealer roundtable discussions, panel presentations, general sessions and intense networking opportunities.
Yanmar America is the North American headquarters of Yanmar Holdings. Ranked #1 in Product
Quality for five years in a row by the Equipment Dealers Association, Yanmar provides innovative
solutions for Rural Lifestyle and Industrial Equipment customers.
Yanmar was the world’s first manufacturer to develop a practical small diesel engine in 1933 and
has continued to push the boundaries of innovation and technology ever since. As a manufacturer of
diesel engines, compact tractors and utility task vehicles, construction machinery, and industrial
equipment, Yanmar's products are sold in over 130 countries.
At Yanmar America, we are committed to providing our customers with the highest quality products
and services, backed by a strong team of professionals who share our dedication to excellence. We
look forward to the opportunity to work with you in achieving your goals.
Virginia Beach-based STIHL Inc., produces a full line of high-quality, handheld outdoor power equipment including blowers, trimmers, brushcutters, and multi-task tools, as well as the number one selling brand of chainsaws worldwide. STIHL Inc. manufactures over 260 model variations of handheld outdoor power equipment for sale in the U.S. and around the world.