Mike Hilderbrand Dodge City, Kansas President Roto-Mix LLC
Please describe your agricultural background.
I didn’t grow up on a farm, so everything I know about agriculture I have had to learn through work experience and education. My original career objective when I entered college was forestry, but I switched in mid-stream away from agriculture to a business-related curriculum and ended up in manufacturing instead. Fortunately I was able to get back into agriculture from the manufacturing side after a few years.
What education are you bringing with you to this position?
I have a Bachelor of Science degree from Southern Illinois University and an MBA from Keller Graduate School in Chicago. In addition, I have a Certificate in Management from Harvard Business School, and I am an ASQ certified Six Sigma Executive Champion.
What territory will you cover?
Roto-Mix does business in 35 countries, so my responsibilities will include those geographies. However, the bulk of my time will be focused on domestic operations which include two manufacturing plants, two retail outlets, and our headquarters – all in the state of Kansas. I plan to spend as much time in the field as I can with our dealers, distributors, manufacturers reps and suppliers, as well as with our 100+ employees.
What are your new responsibilities?
As company President, I am responsible for the overall operations and profitability of the company.
What previous positions have you held?
Most recently I was Vice President of Marketing for Mahindra Tractor – maker of the No. 1 selling tractor in the world – based in Houston, Texas. Prior to that I did a brief stint as president of Art’s Way Manufacturing in Armstrong, Iowa. I have been fortunate in my career to have been able to move around between various disciplines, so I have worked in sales, marketing, operations, production and inventory control, distribution, product management, human resources, strategic planning, and customer service at some great companies like Case, New Holland and Motorola.
What excites you most about working in your new role?
Being able to use all of the different knowledge and skills I have acquired over the years all at once in a top leadership role.
How will you be of most help to producers in your region or area of expertise?
By continuing to manufacture high-quality, durable, innovative products that maximize our customers’ productivity and efficiency.
Why did you choose this company?
This company is a market leader, has a strong and well-known brand, a great management team, and is financially strong.
What goals would you like to accomplish while in this position?
Controlled internal growth through increased productivity, efficiency and quality while maintaining profitability and customer service levels and the exploitation of potential inorganic growth opportunities through market expansion and new product development. PD
