John C May has served as the company’s president and chief operating officer of Deere since April 2019

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Image: John C May. Photo: Courtesy of Deere & Company.

The Deere & Company, an American corporation that manufactures agricultural, construction, and forestry machinery, diesel engines, drivetrains used in heavy equipment, and lawn care equipment, has elected John C May as a member of the board and to the position of chief executive officer.

While May’s membership of the board comes into effect immediately, his position of CEO will be effective from 4 November 2019.

May has served as the company’s president and chief operating officer since April 2019.

Deere chairman and chief executive officer Samuel R Allen said: “John’s record of success and proven leadership skills make him highly qualified to lead Deere and guide its success in the years ahead.

“His experience in precision agriculture, information technology, and overseas operations will be instrumental in driving the company’s digitalization journey and extending its success in agricultural and construction equipment.”

Allen, who will step down from the position of CEO, will continue to serve as chairman of the board of directors.

John May will be the 10th CEO of the 182-year-old Deere

The 50-year-old May will be the 10th chief executive in the history of the 182-year-old company.

After joining Deere in 1997, May became part of the senior management team in 2012 as president of agricultural solutions and chief information officer.

May was named president of worldwide agriculture and turf division last year, with is responsible for the Americas and Australia, the global harvesting, turf and utility, crop care platforms, as well as intelligent-solutions group.

Earlier, May headed the Chinese operations of the company. He also served as factory manager at the Dubuque (Iowa) Works, and was the vice-president of the turf and utility platform.

May is a native of Maine and holds a Bachelor’s in Health Information Management from the University of New Hampshire and a Master’s in Business Administration from the University of Maine.

Deere provides advanced products and services to customers whose work is linked to the land, including cultivation, harvesting, transformation, enriching and building upon the land to meet the increasing need for food, fuel, shelter and infrastructure.

John Deere is the brand name of Deere & Company.