Shingo Hanada will serve as the new president and CEO of Kubota Tractor Corporation and Kubota North America.
GRAPEVINE, Texas – Kubota Tractor Corporation has announced the appointment of Shingo Hanada as the new president and CEO of Kubota Tractor Corporation and Kubota North America, based in Grapevine, Texas, effective Jan. 1, 2022.
Hanada is a 32-year Kubota veteran who most recently held the position of executive officer, Kubota Corporation, and president of Kubota Holdings Europe B.V. and Kverneland AS in the Netherlands and has previously spent time in the U.S. in various roles.
In conjunction with this announcement, the current president and CEO Haruyuki (Harry) Yoshida will retire from the role of senior managing executive officer, Kubota Corporation, Japan, and the position of president & CEO of KNA and KTC. Yoshida took the presidency of KNA and KTC in January 2019 and has successfully built and enhanced the regional functions and operations of Kubota North America as the company continues on its high-growth trajectory.
“Kubota Tractor Corporation will celebrate 50 years in the U.S. in 2022, and I’m honored to join KTC as we celebrate our history and our 50th anniversary,” Hanada said. “I am eager to continue the tremendous momentum Kubota has experienced over the last several years under Mr. Yoshida’s leadership. We are committed to expanding our product lines and building our infrastructure to better meet the needs of our customers and dealers, and I am confident we will continue to further strengthen the Kubota brand in the U.S. marketplace and throughout North America in the process.”
The executive leadership announcements include a promotion for Todd Stucke, VP, sales and marketing, KNA, and senior VP, marketing, product support & strategic projects, KTC, will be promoted to executive officer of Kubota Corporation, Japan, serving as senior VP, sales and marketing, KNA, in addition to maintaining his role as senior VP for KTC. Stucke will be involved in Kubota Corporation’s operations and focus on building a robust business structure for the North American market, as the company continues to invest and grow in the U.S. and Canada.
The California-based company operates two locations in Sonoma County.
MCKINNEY, Texas — Heritage Landscape Supply Group, Inc., has acquired SBI Materials, an independent distributor of natural stone, manufactured stone, pavers, bulk materials and other related outdoor living products and accessories.
Headquartered in Windsor, California, SBI operates two locations in Sonoma County that service Northern California and beyond. The company was founded in 1982 and currently employs a team of more than 60 people. Rod Matteri, Jeff Knepper and the entire SBI team are staying with the company to help expand the operations going forward. SBI will maintain the same brand and reputation for exemplary service going forward, ensuring continuity and consistency for customer and supplier partners.
“SBI is a truly special business that we have admired from a distance for some time,” said Matt McDermott, president of Heritage. “The company’s experienced and passionate team is a perfect fit for our growing hardscapes platform. We could not be more excited to execute on their vision and growth strategy in concert with Rod, Jeff, and the rest of the SBI family.”
“We chose Heritage because of their reputation for allowing the companies they acquire to remain entrepreneurial. We are exceptionally proud of the legacy we have built at SBI, and more importantly the partnerships and friendships we have developed over the years. Heritage plans to invest heavily in both our business and the surrounding area and we look forward to the great opportunities and benefits that Heritage will provide for our long-time employees and loyal customers,” added Rod Matteri and Jeff Knepper, owners of SBI Materials.
David Caldwell is now national product manager, while Lee Padgett will serve as the product manager for Takeuchi’s compact track loaders, compact wheel loaders and attachments.
ATLANTA — David Caldwell and Lee Padgett of Takeuchi-US have expanded their product manager responsibilities to encompass new duties that take advantage of their unique expertise in the compact equipment industry.
Caldwell is now Takeuchi’s national product manager. In his new role, he will oversee new product development and rollouts to the company’s North American distributor network, as well as national sales training events. Caldwell will continue to be involved in Takeuchi’s compact excavator product line by developing training courses, conducting sales training events, overseeing the product department and assisting with its development and management. He will also provide competitive compact excavator product and market analysis materials.
Caldwell joined Takeuchi-US in 2010 as a product and training manager, working his way up to become the excavator product manager before taking on his new national product manager position. He has more than 20 years of experience in the equipment industry, including six years with Mitchell Distributing Company and seven years with Komatsu America.
Padgett is now the product manager for Takeuchi’s compact track loaders, compact wheel loaders and attachments. In his new role, Padgett will assist in the development and management of those product lines, including developing training curriculums and conducting sales training events. He will also work with distribution and customers to better understand customer needs and use that knowledge to enhance future product development. Padgett will provide competitive product and market analysis materials for both the track loader and wheel loader product lines, and he will source, test and on-board new attachments for the Takeuchi Attachment Program.
Padgett joined Takeuchi in 2014 as an inside sales representative before moving into his product management role.
“David and Lee have proven themselves during their tenures here at Takeuchi,” said Jeff Stewart, president of Takeuchi-US. “Not only do they exhibit an innate understanding and knowledge of our equipment lines, but they’re also excellent instructors who can quickly and effectively train our dealer sales partners. Furthermore, they continue to build positive relationships within this industry that will help us grow our business here in North America. We couldn’t be more pleased to have David and Lee on the Takeuchi team.”
For more information on Takeuchi dealers, visit the Takeuchi dealer page. For more information on Takeuchi track loaders, excavators and wheel loaders, click here.
Tony Ricketts and Jeffrey Scott will co-host an interactive webinar on Dec. 14 at 1 p.m. EST.
Tampa, Fla. — Tony Ricketts, CEO of a marketing agency for the landscape industry, and Jeffrey Scott, an industry consultant, are teaming up again to deliver an interactive webinar focused on building a turn-key landscape business.
The webinar will be hosted live on Dec. 14, 2021, at 1 p.m. EST.
This webinar will focus on building the right customer base, removing the owner from day-to-day operations, outlining what makes a company valuable when it comes time to exit, and when/how to sell a landscape company. For the first time, attendee microphones and cameras will be enabled for audience participation.
To register for this webinar, click here.
The Pratt Center is a 205-acre wildlife preserve in New Milford, Connecticut.
NEW MILFORD, Conn. – YardScapes Landscape Professionals has donated all $15,000 in proceeds raised at its Quad-Am Golf Classic to Pratt Nature Center, a non-profit organization in New Milford, Connecticut.
“Our company philosophy states, ‘We believe that everyone, everywhere, benefits from a connection with nature’ and that mindset aligns perfectly with The Pratt Nature Center’s mission," said Shayne Newman, who founded YardScapes in 1990.
The Pratt Center is a 205-acre wildlife preserve and environmental education center in New Milford and was founded in 1967.
“We are always so happy to have YardScapes’ support and this donation will make a significant impact on Pratt’s wish list to expand on programs or fix-up a few things for all the children and families that come to experience this wonderful outdoor center," said Diane Swanson, executive director at Pratt.