BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Steve Hunt
Chairman – Great Lakes Region
H&R AGRI-POWER
Hopkinsville, Kentucky
(270) 886-3918
Steve Hunt is president of H&R Agri-Power Inc., a Case IH, New Holland and Kubota dealership with 20 retail locations in Western Kentucky, Tennessee, Mississippi, Northern Alabama, Southern Illinois, and Southern Indiana. Hunt is a board member of Agri-Chem Inc., board member of the National Equipment Dealers Association, a member of the Dealer Advisory Board Case IH Crops Committee, a partner in Hunt Farms, and Quarles Spring Farming operations.
Hunt is also a 22-year board member and secretary of the Christian County Water District, a 15-year board member and past president of the Kentucky Small Grain Grower Association, and a member of Hillcrest Baptist Church, all headquartered in Hopkinsville, Kentucky. Hunt is married to Tamarha for 40 years and has three sons, Brandon, Darrin, and Shane. Steve and Tamarha also have three grandchildren Case, Ella, and Eli.
Kyle Fulcher
Vice Chairman – Midwest-Southeastern Region
AGUP EQUIPMENT
Yazoo City, Mississippi
(662) 746-6208
Kyle began his career as a private practice attorney in Jackson, MS, where he built a solid foundation in legal expertise. He then transitioned to Deere & Company (John Deere), where he held several notable positions over the years. His roles included serving as Senior Attorney for John Deere’s Construction and Forestry Division, Senior Antitrust, Sales, Marketing, and Advertising Attorney for the Ag and Turf division, Division Sales Manager, and Global Marketing Manager.
In April 2015, Kyle returned to Mississippi to become the CEO of AGUP Equipment Company, an agriculture equipment sales company operating 16 stores across Mississippi and Arkansas.
Kyle is an accomplished professional with a diverse educational and career background. He earned his Accounting degree with a minor in Political Science from Mississippi College, followed by a Doctor of Jurisprudence from the Mississippi College School of Law. Kyle further advanced his education with an MBA from the University of Iowa.
Kyle’s personal life is equally fulfilling, with a supportive family that includes his wife, Tina, and their three children: Landon, Laurel, and Laila.
WALLY BUTLER
Treasurer – Canada Region
MAZERGROUP
Winnipeg, Manitoba
(204) 253-2900
Wally serves as Mazergroup’s CFO since 2005 and before as the corporate controller for the individual dealerships which subsequently formed Mazergroup. Wally joined Mazer Implements in Brandon in 1997, the predecessor to the Mazergroup when the organization was comprised of four locations. Mazergroup has grown to 18 locations in Manitoba and eastern Saskatchewan with 375 team members. Prior to joining Mazergroup, Wally was Senior Accountant in the Finance Department of Manitoba Workers Compensation, serving on the investment committee.
Wally completed his Bachelor of Commerce (Honours) from University of Manitoba and earned his Chartered Accountancy designation with Touche Ross in 1990. Wally has served as a director of the Canada West Equipment Dealer Association and Western Equipment Dealership Association Board from 2008 to 2020 in roles of Chair of Audit Committee, President and Past President. Wally has held advisory roles with Wells Fargo Agriculture lending and Farm Credit Corporation Agriculture dealership wholesale financing committee, and the treasury position for the Brandon Economic Development Committee. Currently Wally sits on the Mazergroup Board of Directors and is corporate secretary.
JARED NOBBE
Past Chairman – Midwest-Southeastern Region
SYDENSTRICKER NOBBE
Waterloo, Illinois
(618) 939-1712
Jared Nobbe is the fourth-generation member of Sydenstricker Nobbe Partners., Inc, a 27 store John Deere Dealership in Southern Illinois and Missouri. He currently serves as Vice President of Centralized Services. Before his current position he served in other capacities for the dealership in sales, parts, and service.
Jared is a graduate of the University of Illinois with a bachelor’s degree in Technical Systems Management. He is also a graduate of the Illinois Agricultural Leadership Program. Jared has served in leadership roles in his local Farm Bureau Foundation, director of First National Bank of Waterloo and his church. Jared currently serves as president of Clifftop NFP. An organization dedicated to conservation of the Bluff land in his home county of Monroe, IL.
Jared and his wife, Rebecca have three children Aiden (age 8), Noah (age 5) and Adelynn (age 2). During their free time, he and his family love spending time outside whether hiking, landscaping, or playing sports.
Eric Mason
Director – Far West Region
MASON MACHINERY
Aurora, Utah
(888) 729-7445
Eric is the Vice President of Mason Machinery, a two store Massey Ferguson and New Holland operation in Utah that Eric’s grandfather started in 1948. Before becoming general manager 2012, Eric spent seven years as a technician and six years in sales and sales management. In his role as general manger Eric spends most of his time traveling between the two stores to oversee processes and company culture. Eric has served on the Far West Equipment Dealers Association board of directors since 2011and is currently serving as Past-President.
Kevin Clark
Director – Iowa-Nebraska Region
AKRS EQUIPMENT
Lincoln, Nebraska
(402) 438-6189
Kevin is the President and Chief Executive Officer of AKRS Equipment Solutions, a 27 store John Deere dealer located in Nebraska. As a born-and-raised Nebraskan, Kevin has been involved with agriculture throughout much of his life. His undergraduate degree is from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, and his graduate degree is from De Paul University in Chicago. Kevin has a vast set of experiences, including working in over 25 countries throughout his career. He has experience in agriculture, manufacturing, transportation, finance, and consumer goods. Kevin and his family live in the Omaha, Nebraska metro area.
Landis Stankievech
Director – Canada Region
TROCHU MOTORS LTD.
Trochu, Alberta
(403) 442-3866
Landis Stankievech is Business Manager at Trochu Motors, a single-store AGCO, Versatile and Kubota dealership in Trochu, Alberta, Canada. As a third generation family member at Trochu Motors, Landis grew up working in the dealership but left for 10 years to play hockey and attend post-secondary school. After university, he worked for the consulting firm McKinsey & Company in Calgary before returning to the dealership full-time in 2013. Landis holds a BSE in Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering from Princeton University, and a BA in Philosophy, Politics and Economics from the University of Oxford, where he studied as a Rhodes Scholar. Landis and his wife Teresa reside in Three Hills, Alberta.
Chad Fossey
Director – Pacific Northwest Region
CAMPBELL TRACTOR
Nampa, Idaho
(208) 466-8414
Chad began his career in 1995 working for Case Credit and CaseIH in Montana as a credit manager and product specialist. In 2000 he joined John Deere Company and held multiple field roles with increasing responsibility across the Western half of the U.S. In 2018, he left John Deere and joined Campbell Tractor, a six location John Deere Dealership as the Operations Manager. In August of 2022, he was appointed General Manager for their six locations across southwest Idaho and southeast Oregon.
Chad graduated from the University of Minnesota in 1994 with a degree in Agriculture Business and Plant & Soil Science. He earned his MBA in 2007 from Regis University in Denver, CO.
Chad, his wife Tara and their daughter Lilly live in Boise, Idaho.
LANCE HANCOCK
Director – Western Region
KING RANCH AG & TURF
Robstown, Texas
(361) 387-2564
Lance Hancock, 40, serves as Vice President – King Ranch Ag & Turf Operations for King Ranch, Inc. and has been with the company for 13 years. Mr. Hancock is a native Texan and attended Sam Houston State University on a football scholarship where he graduated with an undergraduate degree in accounting and a master’s in business administration. Mr. Hancock began his career in 2008 at Ernst & Young where he spent four years mainly in the oil and gas industry in Houston. Mr. Hancock joined King Ranch in the summer of 2012 as Assistant Corporate Controller, working in the Houston Corporate office. In 2016, Mr. Hancock and his family moved to South Texas where he assumed the leadership role over the Retail segment as Retail Operations Manager and in 2021, he was promoted to Vice President – Retail Operations. He is responsible for the retail operations of King Ranch which includes the King Ranch Saddle Shop, King Ranch AG & Turf (John Deere business), Visitor Program Services, Archives, social media, and Co-Branding partnerships. Most recently Mr. Hancock has acquired 9 more John Deere dealerships, which brings his total dealerships to 13 under his supervision. He has four beautiful children and a loving wife, and they call Conroe home. He is an avid outdoorsman who loves hunting and fishing.
MIKE WEISENBERGER
Director – North Central Region
TITAN MACHINERY
West Fargo, North Dakota
(701) 356-0130
Mike began his career as a retail salesman at Reiten & Young International in Grand Forks, ND, an International Harvester dealership. Over the next 30 years, he advanced to co-owner and president, eventually selling the dealership to Titan Machinery. He then served as store manager at two locations before moving to the Titan Machinery Shared Resource Center in West Fargo, ND. For the past 11 years, he has been the Director of Store Support & Training, Mergers & Acquisitions, and Dealer Standards.
Mike was born and raised on a family farm near Stanley, ND. He spent five summers working at the local Deere dealership, taking on roles as a truck driver and in equipment setup. In 1984, Mike graduated from North Dakota State University with a BS in Agricultural Mechanization.
Mike and his wife, Jill, have been married for 38 years and have two grown children and three wonderful grandchildren. They cherish spending time with their family whenever possible.
Jon Castongia
Director – Great Lakes Region
CASTONGIA TRACTOR
Rensselaer, Indiana
(219) 866-5117
Brad Hershey
Past Chairman – Northeast Region
HOOBER, INC
Intercourse, Pennsylvania
(717) 436-6100
Brad Hershey is one of four on Hoober, Inc.’s “Third Generation Ownership & Leadership Team,” founded in 1941 by his grandfather. Hoober is a nine-store retail dealership representing Case IH/JCB/KUHN/Great Plains/Kubota, along with specialty lines, located in PA, DE, MD, and VA. Brad started with Hoober in 1985 as a salesman in Delaware and was assigned Store Manager of Hoober’s third acquired location in Mifflintown, PA in 1996.
LAURA BENTLEY
Director – Northeast Region
BENTLEY BROS INC.
Albion, New York
(585) 733-9602
Laura Bentley is the fourth-generation owner of Bentley Bros., Inc, a 2 store Kubota Dealership in Western NY. She currently serves as President of the company. Before her current position, she served in other capacities for the dealership in sales and parts.
Laura is a graduate of Marietta College, OH with a bachelor’s degree in Advertising and Public Relations. She is also a graduate of LEAD NY, a Cornell University based program focusing on leadership in agriculture. Laura has served in leadership roles for the local Cornell Cooperative Extension, United Way of Orleans County, Orleans County Local Development Corporation, and Orleans County Republican Committee.
In her free time, Laura is an avid traveler, always looking for a new mountain to explore.
Josh Vines
Director – Deep South Region
ALLEGIANCE AG AND TURF LLC
Bastrop, Louisiana
(318) 974-6045
Josh Vines is the Dealer Principal of Allegiance Ag and Turf LLC, a Massey Ferguson dealership group in Louisiana. Josh currently serves as a director on Deep Southern’s Equipment Dealers Association’s board and graduated from Louisiana Tech University. Josh previously was the Vice President of Goldman Equipment LLC a 13 store John Deere dealership for 19.5 years.
