AGCO Names Lee Pemberton 2023 Operator of the Year
Lee Pemberton (center) of Hallock, MN, was presented with AGCO’s Operator of the Year award by David Fickel (left), Fendt Application Senior Marketing Manager, and Craig Jorgensen (right), Fendt Account Manager, at the ARA Annual Conference in Orlando, FL, on November 29, 2023.
AGCO Corporation has named Lee Pemberton of Makin’ Trax Contractors in Hallock, MN, the 2023 Operator of the Year at the Agricultural Retailers Association (ARA) Annual Conference & Expo in Orlando, FL, on November 29, 2023. The annual award from AGCO’s Application team recognizes the skills, dedication, and customer service demonstrated by application professionals to their local communities.
“AGCO celebrates all applicator operators for the critical services they provide our farmers and food supply,” said David Fickel, Application Senior Marketing Manager for AGCO’s Fendt brand. “Lee Pemberton and all our finalists are great representatives of the dedicated professionals who work long hours to ensure healthy yields across so many farms in the U.S. AGCO is proud to be associated with these men and women and recognize them with this award.”
Lee is well-known and respected by his colleagues at Makin’ Trax Contractors, who nominated him as Operator of the Year. His experience as a farmer and nearly 30 years as a professional applicator have provided valuable real-world knowledge that his co-workers draw on throughout the year. Lee was recognized for his ability to care for his equipment and his deep field knowledge, as well as for the guidance and consideration he provides his colleagues. Jason Volk, Lee’s supervisor, noted “he’s been in all the fields around here at one time or another, and he’s always happy to help make sure our team is in the right place with the right equipment and product.” Lee is also very active in his community, once serving as a hospital board member and continuing to devote thousands of hours each year as a member of the local ambulance squad.
Matt Keehr of Centra Sota Co-op in Pierz, Minnesota, and Brian Leone of Leone Grain & Supply in Arlington, Illinois, were also Operator of the Year finalists and attended the event in Orlando. “I was just honored to be nominated alongside Matt and Brian,” Lee said. “They’re both such talented operators and good people; our profession is really very well represented by them!”
For more information about Operator of the Year or application equipment from AGCO, visit AGCOaward.com, ApplyLikeAPro.com and Fendt.com.
Fendt is a registered trademark of AGCO.
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