Action at AGCO: Ag equipment giant makes new executive appointments, establishes Challenger Division - Industry News - Brief Article

Diesel Progress North American Edition, July, 2002

With an eye toward both executive succession issues and continued global growth, ag equipment manufacturer AGCO Corp. recently announced several executive appointments and established a new equipment division centered around its newly acquired Challenger tractor line. Chief among the personnel moves was an indefinite extension of the employment contract of Robert J. Ratliff, chairman, president and chief executive officer.

Ratliff was a founder of the Duluth, Ga.-headquartered company and has held his current position since January when he was called upon to lead the company after the unexpected death of John Shumejda, then president and CEO. Shumejda and Ed Swingle, senior vice president, sales & marketing worldwide, were killed in a plane crash in the U.K.

AGCO announced the appointment of Donald Millard, currently the CFO, to the new position of executive vice president & chief operating officer, reporting to Radiff as of June 1. He will be responsible for all of the day-to-day operations of manufacturing, engineering, product development and sales & marketing, and the senior vice presidents of these functional areas will report directly to him. Millard joined AGCO in October 2000. Andrew Beck has been appointed senior vice president and chief financial officer, replacing Millard at that position.

In other senior management moves, Dexter Schaible has been appointed senior vice president of product development, a position he previously held before his current assignment as senior VP of the Harvesting Division in Europe. Responding to the increased scope of product offerings resulting from the introduction of the Challenger brand and Ag-Chem products, Schaible will take over the corporate product development responsibilities previously bandied by Garry Ball, senior vice president of engineering.

Stephen Lupton, currently senior VP and general counsel, has taken on the additional responsibilities of corporate development. In his new position he will lead the corporate effort to continue acquisitions of growth opportunities and to develop new strategic alliances and business ventures.

"These new assignments and organizational additions represent a major step for the company in concluding the implementation of its succession plan that resulted from the untimely loss of John Shumejda and Ed Swingle," said Ratliff.

The establishment of the Challenger Division, which will market and distribute a new farm equipment line of products through Caterpillar dealers worldwide, is in response to unexpected demand, the company said. AGCO completed the purchase of the Caterpillar farm equipment business, primarily the track-type Challenger tractor in March and has added a full range of new agricultural products to the business to form the new Challenger brand, which will be distributed by Caterpillar dealers worldwide.

"This new offering brings a broad line of farm equipment products to the Cat distribution network and provides the superior service network of Caterpillar dealers to support the farm effort globally," said Ratliff.

In support of the new division, AGCO named Randy Hoffman, previously vice president of North American sales & marketing, as vice president and general manager of the Challenger Division, reporting to Jim Seaver, senior vice president of worldwide sales & marketing for all AGCO business. Hoffman will manage and direct all facets of the Challenger brand globally Gary Collar was named vice president, market development of the new division, coming over from ZF Friedrichshafen A.G., where he was vice president of business development in the North American Group Operations. Prior to that he spent 13 years with Caterpillar.

To replace Hoffman, AGCO named Alistair McLelland, vice president North American sales & marketing, responsible for all other distribution activities in North America with the exception of the Ag-Chem and Challenger divisions.

In other moves, Eric Raby has been appointed vice president, North American Massey Fergnson marketing, replacing McLelland. Dennis Heinecke has been named vice president of North American sales replacing Raby.