Milwaukee, Wis.,
02
May
2017
|
17:58 PM
Europe/Amsterdam

NOMINATIONS FOR 2017 AEM HALL OF FAME NOW ACCEPTED

The Association of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM) is currently accepting nominations for the AEM Hall of Fame, a program created to recognize and celebrate outstanding individuals in the off-road equipment industry. AEM encourages companies to nominate their leaders and industry pioneers who have contributed to the advancements and overall quality of our off-road equipment industry.

The Hall of Fame was created in 2008 to both acknowledge and preserve the legacies, ideas, and innovations of the individuals who have exemplified the five Hall of Fame guiding principles: innovation, industry contributions, leadership, corporate citizenship/social responsibility, and sustainability. Through the Hall of Fame, AEM strives to help promote a greater public understanding and appreciation for the industry and its many contributions to our society’s quality of life.

The 2016 Hall of Fame Inductees

The 2016 inductees, Ray Hagie and Robert L. Vermeer, have a considerable amount of experience and prestige in the industry.

Robert L. Vermeer (Vermeer Corporation)

Robert “Bob” Vermeer, chair emeritus of Vermeer Corporation, exuded compassion and excellence throughout his long career. Bob is known for his leadership, service, and employee-oriented work environment. During his leadership for Vermeer, sales grew nearly 13 times after he implemented a program focused on coaching dealers and improving customer relations.

Bob is no stranger to leadership roles inside or outside Vermeer Corporation, and he served as Chair of both Association of Equipment Manufacturers and the Iowa Business Council.

Ray Hagie (Hagie Manufacturing LLC) 

Ray Hagie was an entrepreneur, innovator, and founder of Hagie Manufacturing LLC. Ray’s entrepreneurial spirit began in 1933, when he began experimenting with hybrid seed corn, and later opened Hagie’s Hybrids seed corn plant 1944. Ray recognized how exhausting and tedious the detasseling corn process was, so he developed a self-propelled “personal carrier” to make the entire process for efficient.

When pesticides and herbicides were released near the end of WWII, Ray had yet another groundbreaking innovation. He created the first-ever self-propelled sprayer, revolutionizing the way farmers sprayed crops.

About the Process

If someone from your company exhibits these qualities and values, nominate them for the AEM Hall of Fame and help them receive the honor and recognition they deserve. Nominees are evaluated by an independent panel of judges based on the five Hall of Fame guiding principles.

Nominations are accepted year-round, and will continue until June 7, 2017. Nominations received after June 7, 2017 will be considered for the 2018 AEM Hall of Fame. Interested parties can apply online through the AEM website by submitting an online nomination form.

For more information contact AEM’s Jordanne Waldschmidt (tel: 414-298 4152; jwaldschmidt@aem.org). 

About the AEM Hall of Fame – www.aem.org/aem/hall-of-fame

The AEM Hall of Fame traces its roots to 1993 and development of the Construction Equipment Hall of Fame as a not-for-profit industry-wide initiative by Construction Equipment magazine. AEM served on its Board of Directors; the first Hall of Fame induction ceremony was held at CONEXPO 1993 and the last ceremony in 1999. The Hall lapsed in the early 2000s and AEM took over ownership and operation in 2008 creating the AEM Hall of Fame.

About the Association of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM) - www.aem.org.

AEM is the North American-based international trade group providing innovative business development resources to advance the off-road equipment manufacturing industry in the global marketplace. AEM membership comprises more than 950 companies and more than 200 product lines in the agriculture, construction, forestry, mining and utility sectors worldwide. AEM is headquartered in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, with offices in the world capitals of Washington, D.C.; Ottawa, Canada; and Beijing, China.