Equipment Dealers Association announces new board members

The Equipment Dealers Association (EDA), formerly known as the North American Equipment Dealers Association (NAEDA), announced the newly elected members of its 2015-16 board of directors, which officially convened on Oct. 1, 2015. New board members elected to 1-year terms include:

Canada: Jim Backus, general manager of Kubota Country, which carries Kubota, Vermeer, Land Pride, and Merlo. Backus has been in the equipment industry since 1977, and his experience includes serving as director, officer, committee chair, and committee member for the Canada West Equipment Dealers Association (now known as the Western Equipment Dealers Association). He and his two sons currently oversee two locations.

Great Lakes: Mark Laethem, co-owner and manager of Farm Depot, which carries Kubota, Ag Chem, Fendt, Challenger, Krone, and Geringhoff. Laethem is a graduate of Michigan State University, where he earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration. He is the recipient of several industry honors, including the John Deere Managers Club Award, North America’s Top-Twenty Award, AGCO Circle of Excellence Award, and Number One Fendt Dealer Award for North America.

Gulf Coast: Randy Anderson, co-owner of Progressive Solutions Holdings (dba AimTrac), which carries Case IH. In 2010, Anderson was president of the Southern Equipment Association, where he retains a current seat as a board member. He is a second-generation dealer and has been in the equipment industry since 1972. Anderson and his son currently oversee five locations in mid-Georgia.

Elected to 2-year terms:

Mid-Atlantic: Brown Gwynn, owner and chief operating officer of Limestone Farm Home & Worksite, which carries John Deere, Kuhn, EZTRAIL, and J&M. Gwynn is a graduate of the University of Kentucky, where he earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration. His experience includes past service as an officer and committee chair of the Mid-Atlantic Equipment Dealers Association.

North Central: Ivan Dorhout, owner of Town & Country Implement, which carries Case IH, New Holland, and Kubota. Dorhout has been in the industry for more than 36 years and has served as president of the Iowa-Nebraska Equipment Dealers Association, as well as a member of the association’s executive committee and audit committee. In addition to his leadership role at the affiliate level, Dorhout has participated in EDA’s legislative fly-in and Legislative Committee.

Northeast: Brian Carpenter, general manager of Champlain Valley Equipment, which carries New Holland, Kubota, Case, Kuhn, Bobcat, Sunflower, Kinze, Great Plains, Land Pride, and Woods. Carpenter is a graduate of St. Lawrence University, where he earned a B.S. in Economics. For more than 30 years, he was an officer in the United States Army and served as Commander of the Vermont Army National Guard, 2010-14. Carpenter also served on the New Holland Dealer Council and the Kubota Dealer Council.

Elected to 3-year terms:

Northwest: Brion Torgerson, chief executive officer of Torgerson’s, which carries Case IH, Bourgault, and MacDon. Torgerson has considerable experience within the industry, including previous service on the Case IH Dealer Advisory Board, the MSU Northern Diesel Advisory Board, the Montana Equipment Dealers Association Board, the NRF Small Business Retail Council Steering Committee, and the Montana Future Farmers of America Alumni Board.

South Central: Harold Chapman Jr., general manager of Crown Power & Equipment, which carries Case IH, Kubota, Cub Cadet, and Kinze. Chapman is a graduate of the University of Missouri, Columbia, where he earned a B.S. in Agricultural Mechanization. His experience includes previous service as president of the Southwestern Association (now known as the Western Equipment Dealers Association).

Southwest: Tom Rosztoczy, president and chief executive officer of Stotz Equipment, which carries John Deere. Rosztoczy is a graduate of Stanford University, where he earned a B.S. in Industrial Engineering. His experience includes previous service as a director and president of the FarWest Equipment Dealers Association. He also served on John Deere’s National Dealer Advisory Group for Large Ag Dealers and John Deere’s National Dealer Advisory Council for Turf Dealers. In 2013, Rosztoczy was named Farm Equipment Magazine’s Dealer of the Year.

“We’re fortunate to have this distinguished group of industry leaders to guide the association,” said Rick Lawhun, president & CEO of the Equipment Dealers Association. “The association is in the midst of significant change, and we look forward to the new perspectives and initiatives this group will provide.”