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We couldn’t choose just one answer, so here’s a collaboration of what we heard: “This is a dedicated group with an incredible work ethic. We’re all committed to ensuring the success of Jenner Ag and our customers, and our shared knowledge and adaptability make us an unstoppable force. We’re a passionate group, always willing to lend a helping hand, and each of us is a valuable asset to any project.”
Shane works together with his truck and even carries the same American flag around with him every day that he carried during his time in the service. "My service truck and I are a team, and we are always remote. We don't necessarily always have all the support and resources of the store directly at our fingertips, so we have to be inventive," says Shane. "I like the challenge of being alone in a field with limited resources. While our shop is amazing, I can't just pop over in a couple of minutes and grab something if I'm out on the job. I must be able to rely on myself and problem-solve with what I have available to get the job done."
Shane takes pride in what he does, which shows through his continued learning and overall attitude. "I take pride in being part of the Jenner Nation. I think we are experts in our field, and we are, by leaps and bounds, one of the best service departments. Our Service Director does an excellent job of getting us slotted for the training we need to stay current and on top of our continuing education. I prioritize my self-development to ensure I am as prepared as possible for those classes," says Shane. "I wake up early and read resources to work out my mind. I study electrical theory and read different texts to challenge my mind in new ways."
He does all this to do the best job for an industry he knows is vital. "If you eat, you can thank a farmer, and I love that we, as Jenner Ag, keep those machines rolling. We are a cog in the gear that is the agriculture industry. I enjoy letting everyone who helps me succeed know they are helping feed people," says Shane. "I will let my UPS guy, who helps deliver the parts to me from the shop, know that he is part of the process that keeps these farms up and running. Delivering these heavy boxes to me daily helps me service these machines that then, in turn, help farmers do their jobs."
Jenner Precision is unique from the Application and Ag groups. “We differ at Jenner Precision from our Ag and Application teams on the number of equipment colors we work with. We work with a little bit of everything from red to green to yellow to blue and more,” says Milan. “Every color has its own configuration, and it’s our job to know how to connect and link technology for every equipment brand. Our team sees a lot of different vendors and a wide range of vehicles and implements of all colors. I am one of the individuals who help figure out how to make it all talk and work together.”
Milan thinks most people don’t realize the range of precision ag products they can help them with. “We do everything from yield monitoring on the combine to steering on a combine or tractor. We can do almost anything they want on a planter, side-dress bars, and sprayers. Our team touches a lot of different pieces of the farm and different seasons of the year with precision ag,” says Milan.
Milan thrives in assisting farmers and growers in reaching their agronomic goals. He has a personal favorite with AutoSteer. “It’s nice to be able to help take the stress out of steering a straight line while you are watching a big planter with multiple monitors. It helps guys get better at what they do,” he says. It’s just one of the many labor-saving options we offer. If you want to take some stress out of your operation, Milan and the Jenner Precision team are here to help.
Dan knows about the territory he covers because he is in his own backyard. “I was a grower before I came to Jenner Ag, a grower in the same area I serve now,” says Dan. “I know what it means to be a grower there with that climate. I know what production for seed corn and specialty crops looks like; I’ve experienced the other side of it, and I know the good practices because I was in that role. I can always talk about agronomy, which helps my customers.”
Dan grew up on a farm, and his dad still farms today. The agriculture industry is part of his blood. He had always wanted to be a farmer, so when he was able to work in the very industry he loved, one of his lifelong dreams was fulfilled. “I love the operation side of farming, and I’ve been around it all my life. Sometimes all our farmers want from us is someone to listen and let them address their concerns. They want someone who will answer the phone, listen and help them meet their needs promptly. I can resonate with that because I’ve been there,” says Dan.
Dan reinforces that you can’t be afraid to ask questions both with your team internally and externally with your customers. “Sometimes with our customers, it’s as simple as asking them what outcome they want to see and meeting those needs. I am responsible for making those contacts that can lead to a successful customer relationship down the line,” he says. “I enjoy going out and riding in equipment with the customer. I see my job as more of a customer service role, and then the sales aspect is just me asking them what they could need in the future.”
Keeping himself on the ball stems from knowing you have to get to know your customers no matter how many you have. “You have to tailor your approach to each customer; some customers want more face time, and some want to do their own thing. There is no manual to go with this role, so getting to know your customers as people is crucial. Knowing them and their goals and wants helps you better equip them with a tailored experience.”
One of the best ways he does that is by putting in the time. “I recently visited a customer, sat with him and his wife for over an hour, and just talked about everything. They were exceptionally nice people. Before I left, she handed me a bag of cookies to take out on the road. In ag, you find the kindness in people, and it’s pretty amazing.” In spending quality time with people, he finds that everyone has a way they prefer to run things. “It’s neat to hear everyone’s opinions on agriculture, you can have five guys talking about what they are doing, and it can all be different, traditional, organic. There are so many different ways to do it, and our team helps them all meet their goals.”
If he could follow just one rule, what would it be? Follow through is the key to success, according to Luke. “If you say you will do something, you better do it because people will remember. They will remember if you followed through not for days or weeks but for YEARS after the fact. If you say you will call at noon on Monday, call at noon on Monday. If you say you will help a fellow team member, you better help them. Follow through is everything.”
Being a field service technician is no easy task. You’re responsible for helping customers when they have an issue, during their most vulnerable time, and when they need to lean on you and what you offer. Travis prides himself on the way he can help people and build relationships. "Honestly, that's what I have loved since I've been in the industry—that ability to build a relationship with a customer and get to know them personally,” he says. “I can ask myself about their needs and wants, so I know how to help them better meet their goals. The more I know about a customer, the more they can pick my brain for what could help improve their operation.”
He relies on his Jenner Ag team and the experts at Case IH to help him when he needs it in whatever way best serves the customer, and from there, he makes it known that he is there for them whenever they need it.
Travis insists his customers call him anytime they have an issue, no matter the day or time. "If they are broken down in the field or have questions, they should call me,” he says. “It doesn't bother me to get calls after normal work hours. I have been on their side of things, and anyone who has experienced that knows that downtime is not a good time."
It’s a mantra that’s always on this mind, and it pushes him to deliver more for the Jenner Nation. As he says, "Our trucks say UPTIME, and that's what we strive for daily, to keep those customers going.”
Every good company needs a person focused on the numbers; here it’s Jake Brannan, Chief Financial Officer. While Jake is the CFO, his role takes on a unique perspective of working for a company that plays the Great Game of Business.
“Before I started working here, I had read the first Great Game book and really enjoyed it. Going into a company that had actually implemented and played the Game was eye-opening. To see all the benefits provided and what it takes to truly keep that Gameplay going and keep associates motivated and invested was impressive,” says Jake.
The way playing the Great Game changes everyone’s understanding of the financials is something unique to Jenner Ag, Jake says. “I have a story I love to tell about how one day a member of our maintenance team came to me and said, ‘We have an invoice that we should have capitalized and depreciated, and I took a look and said, ‘Wow, he’s right,’” he says. “I have never worked for a company where someone from another department could come to me and say they have been keeping an eye on how invoices are being paid and how we can better process one. So that was a first for me, and it was awesome.”
Jake says to him that understanding is huge. He views it as a real advantage to have the whole team looking at the dollars and cents the company is operating on and says it can have a real impact. “It makes my job in a way easier, but I also know it’s not just about the numbers for me; it’s about the details too,” Jake explains. “I’m here to really pay attention to the details and make sure we are generating correct numbers the first time.”
He views his role as the link between different segments of the company. “I’m the person asking those questions and making sure departments are communicating with each other,” he explains. “I help make sure everyone is following all the necessary processes. Being part of a team that thinks like owners, whose decisions impact every part of the business, I see how engaged every associate is.”
Working in the parts department is more than just knowing your parts and how to stock them. It’s about being someone a farmer can rely on when they are in a bind to help them get their equipment running again with that hard-to-find part. James Joslin, Parts Specialist for our Taylorville, Illinois, store, is one of those exceptional associates.
James knows his equipment and parts because he works on equipment outside the office. “I help farm 1,500 acres, which allows me to build on my parts knowledge even when I’m not at work. That way, when someone has problems, it speaks more to me. I have an experience that goes full circle,” says James.
While James appreciates what he does, it’s not his tasks that keep him excited; it’s the customers. “It’s not what I do; it’s the after-effect, seeing a guy struggling to find a part, and our team can pull one out and help him get what he needs when no one else could. It’s part of the Jenner Ag experience; it’s getting them what they need when they need it. Even though it’s hard to do sometimes, their reaction is my favorite part.”
James is part of the team at Jenner Ag that will go above and beyond. “We will work as fast as we can. The team and I will do whatever we need to help someone meet their goals,” says James. “Our highest priority is keeping everyone running as fast as possible.”
Kinzey Potter, Office & Inventory Manager, helps keep the Jenner Precision store running smoothly. Whether that be processing sales orders, helping with vendor orders or setting up the service team with anything they need on an install.
“I’m lucky in my role that I get to interact with every aspect of the Jenner Precision operation. I get to work with sales, service, administration and outside departments like our vendors. We are lucky that we have a host of vendors that are all amazing to work with. They always help us in any way they can. It’s a very cool experience to get to touch every aspect of the company with one role,” says Kinzey. “I don’t think everyone gets that opportunity, and that means a lot to me that I get to see that. It gives me insight into what we do here.”
Kinzey says having that insight allows her to see a clear picture of what Jenner Precision does. “Our goal is to always present farmers with new technology that can help them be better, but one amazing aspect of Jenner Precision is we value the input of our farmers and are always open when they come to us with the ways we can be better. I think this is so important in maintaining those strong relationships with our customers, both sides are helping the other one be better.”
Jenner Precision is providing that help to farmers by utilizing the latest technology. “The ever-changing technology with our precision technology vendors is always being tweaked and updated and evolving into something that can better serve our customer base. It’s amazing and fun to watch, and we do have fun here – we excel in camaraderie. We have a great relationship between all of us,” Kinzey says. “We can tease each other and have a blast all throughout the workday, which keeps things fun and exciting year-round.”
Shop Flow - the art of optimizing the functionality of the Jenner Ag shop and something Blake Lowe, Shop Foreman, has covered. “I keep everyone in the shop focused. I want us all to work hard to not only maintain customer expectations but exceed them and to do that we need to work hard and maintain a clean work environment,” he says.
Blake started out as a technician in the very own shop he now manages, and the insight he gained from being on the floor has stayed with him to this day. He does more than set the tone; he’s another helping hand. “I try to be out in the shop with the guys as much as I possibly can, I like getting my hands dirty,” Blake says. “I want to be there to answer any questions they may have or just help them out wherever I can. Getting these machines out and ready is our number one priority, and we do whatever we can to get them to the customer efficiently and in tip-top condition.” He looks at every machine that comes through the shop as if it was his own. “I ask myself how would I want my piece of equipment to come back to me? I want us to do the best that we can for the best customer experience.”
He stays on top of his game by taking in all the knowledge he can on changes to equipment and technology, and he does even more research on his own time. “It’s a lot of reading, but I do what it takes to do this job. I want our customers to know the team working on their equipment is a knowledgeable one that cares about the job we do,” says Blake.
Account Managers need to be up to date on the latest changes in technology, be stellar at time management, be open to new challenges, be a gifted problem solver, and most importantly be their word. If you can pair that with knowing the people you serve, that’s when the magic happens.
Brandon Vandeloo, Senior Account Manager for Southern Illinois, knows his territory well. “I know the territory I cover because I grew up here. I’ve been throughout this portion of Illinois my whole life; I feel that I can relate to a lot of my customers here and better understand their farming practices because they are similar to what we do around home,” says Brandon. “Southern Illinois can sometimes be very different than Central Illinois for example, and I understand that. It helps me serve my area better.”
Along with being in familiar territory, Brandon knows the agriculture industry. He grew up around farming and started in the field in high school by working on a dairy farm. He branched off from there and went to college to study Agribusiness. “I’ve always had an interest in agriculture, and through life experience and education have discovered all the possibilities the field offers. It’s a unique industry; everyone has a different story, and they all have their own thing going on. I love being out and about and hearing all those unique perspectives,” says Brandon.
While the people are one of a kind, so is the day-to-day. “I get to do something every day that allows me to grow. There are always a lot of new challenges working with various retailers and customers. This job keeps me on my toes and entertained,” says Brandon. Some of his final takeaways: “Sales is not just about taking orders; you are there to help out and make sure your customers are taken care of, their machines are up and running, and if not, you are the one who can help make things happen. Whatever they need, you lend a helping hand.”
Being the first voice people hear from Jenner Ag carries some weight – and Emily Amos, Corporate Support Specialist and Recruiter, is up to the challenge. Whether it’s a career fair, a job interview or an internal event, Emily is front and center and ready to help. She strives to be two steps ahead – making everyone’s lives here a little easier. She wears many hats and lends even more helping hands.
“Every day is different, and I get to be part of a little bit of everything! Each new task opens up a new learning experience,” says Emily. “I work on recruiting, preparing for internal classes we offer, assisting members of our management team in whatever support role they may have a need for and helping to plan our yearly parties/company outings.”
Her favorite part of the job, she says, is that the learning is endless. In her time at Jenner Ag, she has learned so much about finances, running a business, stocks, how to be a leader, The Great Game of Business, recruiting, agriculture, taxes and investing. “I essentially get a free education on many vital topics. I am constantly learning something new that I can use at work and in my everyday life,” says Emily.
With recruiting being a core aspect of her role, she takes pride in being one of the first impressions someone has of Jenner Ag. “I want our culture to shine through before anything else. I know it’s part of what makes people happy here,” says Emily. “During interviews, I look at personality type, the want to learn and grow, would they fit in with our culture, and are they easy to talk to – just as much as their skill set. We pride ourselves on having an environment of associates who are kind, happy, knowledgeable and fun to be around.”
Emily likes to live by the phrase, “If you love what you do, you’ll never work a day in your life.” She says, “The people here love what we do and the agricultural industry and what that means to be a part of something that serves the world on a large scale, and it shows.”
Russell Nidiffer, Parts/Field Service Coordinator, has had the unique opportunity of working in not one, not two but three different departments at Jenner Ag. For the past four years, Russell has picked up an array of knowledge in parts and service. Among others, Russell helps service techs get the parts they need to complete repairs, updates all the software for machines in the shop and manages SlingShot accounts for customers.
“I started in shipping, which helped me a lot when I moved into the Parts Department and then Service. I don’t have a background in agriculture - I started with zero knowledge of the industry. Having the opportunity to work in shipping allowed me to grow my knowledge base exponentially,” says Russell. “Being able to go to work every day and see what various parts physically looked like changed how I put everything together in my head.”
When he moved to Parts, that knowledge helped him serve customers quickly and knowledgably. “If a customer said I need a hydraulic valve, I knew what they looked like so when I went into the computer, I could see the part and it sped up the process of ordering them,” he explains.
Today, Russell is confident in his ability to help anticipate customers’ needs on future repairs based on what part they are requesting now. “Whether it’s for machine inspections or because the service tech got a call from customers needing parts, I can say, “I know this part goes here - do you also need this part? Having that background in parts, I can say well let's also look at this,” says Russell.
Russell says his greatest job experience to date was a cross-training opportunity unique to Jenner Ag: being able to go to Jenner Precision and help put together toolbars. “I think everyone that works with Parts should have that chance. Seeing our guys put the parts where they actually go on the toolbar and how it functions is priceless knowledge.”
Field Service Techs stay busy no matter the season – and they need to stay on the road no matter what. So what happens when they need a part, or they have an issue with their own truck? Denny Groves, the Parts/Field Service Coordinator here at Jenner Ag, and the go-to guy when it comes to assisting anyone in the field. He has the answer.
“My role is to take care of all the parts and supply needs for the field service associates. Whenever they need something, they call me, and we as a team do whatever we need to get them their parts in the fastest way possible,” says Denny. “This year has made my role a tad more challenging with all the supply chain issues. It’s not what it normally is, and I have had to be resourceful and think outside the box to do everything in my power to get them the parts they need when they need them.”
Denny says if his guys are having an issue that’s outside of his job description, he still steps up to assist them any way he can. Even if that means just steering them in the right direction, he gladly will wear many hats to get the job done. That’s what it means to be a part of the Jenner Nation. “One person doesn’t know everything, but between all of us, when we put our heads together, we can probably figure it out,” he says. “Everybody everywhere has their own strengths and weaknesses, and we all can help balance each other out.”
Denny believes what makes Jenner Ag and the agriculture industry as a whole a great place to work is the rich knowledge that is shared. “I have been in this industry since 1989, and the job security and people are unlike most industries,” he explains. “Everybody has to eat, and that’s not going to go away. People need our industry, and they need individuals out there working in it who care.”
Aaron David has been prepping new equipment and helping his team with work in the shop for 13 years as an Application Shop Technician. Aaron works on a little bit of everything and has become a pillar around Jenner Ag for his attention to detail, friendly demeanor and work ethic. He likes making sure that when a machine arrives at its intended location, everyone is happy. “When a machine leaves our shop, I like seeing the account manager happy and the customers happy when it shows up. It means it’s something we have looked over and done our best to make sure it’s correct when it gets to a customer’s doorstep,” Aaron explains.
His secret to success? Documenting everything. “I write a lot of notes on everything I do; I keep folders of them in my cabinets,” says Aaron. “I try to document what we do so we can find easier ways to do the job and tweak it as we go – it is also good to have for reference in the future.” He says that helps when two or three years later you need to reference a job. “If you have good notes, it’s good to go back and reference that stuff, because in three years when you get a machine again, you will have to remember how it goes.”
Aaron’s system has paid off not only for him but also other members of his team. “I’ll work on projects with fellow associates and document everything, and they’ll come back and be like ‘Well it’s been five years; I don’t remember how we did that.’ I go, ‘Well here’s this folder that I kept,’” he says.
Aaron believes working in teams in a shop setting is even more important so everyone can learn the same practices. “It makes things easier to diagnose and fix in the future. It’s nice when you are on a team that will listen and learn together.”
A resource solution. That’s how Andrew Clarkson, Ag Group Account Manager, wants customers to see him. Got a problem no one else can solve? Andrew is your guy. “I like to be handed a problem and work hard to find a solution that has stumped someone else,” he explains. “Whenever I get a call and someone says, ‘I don’t know if you can get this, but can you try to find it for me’- that’s where I thrive. I become a resource when they need a helping hand.”
While he thrives on answers, Andrew also knows how to handle not knowing. “The answer ‘I don’t know, but I will find out’ goes a long way,” he says. “And after you say that, you have to make yourself keep that promise and go and find out whatever the answer is.”
Andrew also believes it is important for an account manager to be more than just someone who shows up to get you to buy something. “I don’t want customers I interact with to see me as a person who is just there to sell them something they don’t need,” he says. “I don’t want you to spend money you don’t need to. I want you to spend money that will help your operation exceed its goals and help you in the long run.”
At the end of the day Andrew is more than a resource solution and a trusted advisor, he’s also a friend. As a friend he will look out for his customers and make sure they are getting the best experience possible with Jenner Ag – that’s his promise.
For Jay Steidinger, the job is simple: Uptime equals a happy customer. From planting to harvest and every season in between for eight years, he’s focused on maximizing Uptime for Jenner Ag’s retail fertilizer customers as part of the highly trained U-Maxx Service team.
“I am part of the team at Jenner Ag that offers tech support to customers that are having electronic issues,” he explains. “I work in tandem with other field service technicians daily to make sure our customers are taken care of.”
Jay says that’s one of the things he likes best about his job: supporting other technicians who in turn support customers. So he’s able to get the best of both worlds – front-line customer interaction as well as being part of a team that works from start to finish in the customer interaction. “That’s the most satisfying part of the job,” he says. “Not only do you get to solve a problem someone else is having, but you get that feeling of accomplishment as well.”
While problem solving one of the main parts of the job, Jay believes time management is critical as well – and that’s where understanding the ins and outs of not just the machine but the entire service team’s capabilities makes a difference. “Knowing what each person needs to work at their full potential, whether it’s a customer or associate. Everybody has something that makes them tick,” he says. “It teaches you the right way to interact with others to successfully get the job done.”
Getting the job done quickly, efficiently and expertly are Jay – and the entire Service team’s – focus. “When we are busy, I try to get down to solving problems so I can get help to everybody that needs it as fast as I can,” he says. “Knowing who to bring in for different jobs – and having the team resources to do that – makes a difference.”
Human Resources: the department charged with managing a company’s resources and contributing those to individual associates’ satisfaction and performance. Whether that be helping you set up a retirement plan, keeping up with corporate policies or mediating interpersonal conflict, HR does it all. At Jenner Ag, the person behind the acronym is none other than Beth Berger, Executive HR Corporate Compliance.
Beth is in charge of staying on top of corporate policies, associate paperwork, government compliance and much more. “I do a little bit of everything,” says Beth. “I help not only our management team but our associates as well.” She adds that her family background in small business serves her well for the role. “I try to always consider if what I am doing is best for our team at Jenner Ag as a whole. Does this help not only management but each associate as well?” says Beth. “Dealing with a company this size allows people to really find their rhythm and place – the fit at a small business is unique; the daily interaction is unique.”
What creates that special feeling? Beth says it’s simple: people. “The heart of HR, and certainly the most interesting part, is people. I am part of those first faces someone sees when they start with us. I help to make sure someone feels like they fit here.”
Visiting HR on your first day at any new job can be scary, but Beth says she tries to lessen the load on associates by sharing a key piece of advice someone once gave her. “You can’t learn everything in one day – it takes on average 16 months for anyone to completely understand a role. I tell them to remember to enjoy the process and keep learning,” says Beth. “One of the first things I noticed when I started here 10 years ago was no matter who I saw when I walked in, they spoke to me and made me feel welcome, and that’s the essence of the Jenner Nation.”
Jenner Ag lives by UPTIME – and so does Bret Hine, Field Service Technician. “We get asked a lot about what ‘Uptime’ means; everybody has their own take on it. When I think of the word ‘Uptime,’ I think of our inspection program,” he says. “If we can limit downtime in the field through annual inspections, that ensures more Uptime.”
That’s just one way Bret works to maximize Uptime for his customers – he says it’s a focus year-round. “In the winter, I talk with customers about any issues they were having at the end of their last season. During planting, which is our busiest season, I’m taking inventory daily on what machines need attention and trying to get to all my customers in a timely matter to ensure their uptime,” he explains. “Certain times of year are more critical than others, and I have to keep that in mind to give my customers the best service possible.”
Bret says the logistics of being in the field can be challenging, but he thrives on it. “During peak season sometimes, it can be frustrating that you can’t be in more than one place at a time,” he explains. Bret manages it by thinking ahead and taking steps to guarantee he can get parts to give customers fast, efficient solutions that keep them running: “They are fully relying on me and whatever I can do for them.”
No matter the time of year or what he’s working on, Bret says the most important aspects of his job is communication. “I strive to be an excellent communicator. Communication is first and foremost with a customer,” he says. “I’m big on double checking things. If a customer says something is broken, I will double check twice just to be extra sure.”
His main motivation? Bret is passionate about doing the right thing for the customer and the industry. “I grew up in agriculture, and being a part of this industry allows me to feel like I am contributing to the rest of the world in some way,” he says. “I enjoy being a part of an industry that serves the world.”