Posts Tagged ‘Employee Spotlight’

Exmark Employee Profile: Don Uher

Tuesday, December 29th, 2015

Photo Dec 16, 1 20 40 PMDon Uher is a Value Stream Manager in the Exmark manufacturing operation. He’s been an important part of the Exmark team for more than 18 years. Today, we’ll learn a little more about Don and his background.

Where are you from?

I grew up on a farm near Daykin, Nebraska (approx. 30 miles west of Beatrice), and today live on that same property, which is now an acreage.

Tell us about what you do at Exmark?

I’m responsible for the safety, quality, delivery, efficiency and morale of the north value stream at Exmark. I do just about anything that needs to be done in order to keep the assembly lines operating efficiently. I have an outstanding group of supervisors and support personnel who really do the hard work to get it all done. I have to name them all, as they really are the ones who, on an hour-by-hour basis, keep it all running smoothly. They include:

  • Manufacturing engineers: Justin Schuck and Brandon King
  • Supervisors: Dave Ullman; Vicki Pearce; Scott Wolbert; Rafael Oman; Chris Riley; Rick Miller; and Ronda Mewes in the Tool Crib.

They are a great group and do their best to build the highest quality product every day.

What’s your favorite part of working at Exmark?

I’ve been fortunate to have formed great friendships with a lot of people over the years. That’s the best thing I’ll take away from my time at Exmark.

What do you like to do in your free time?

My wife and I usually have too large of a garden, but I also hunt and fish, and we cherish every moment we get together with our grandchildren.

If you could have lunch with any person, who would it be?

People are just people. Some have had more success in life, some less, so meeting anyone in particular doesn’t hold a great deal of interest for me. The “person” I would most like to commune with though would be my Lord, Jesus Christ.

What’s the most surprising thing people might not know about you?

The most surprising thing about me people don’t know won’t be revealed today, but something interesting I’m willing to share is that I make a really good batch of peanut brittle. It’s fantastic!

 

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Exmark Employee Profile: David Rayburn

Monday, July 13th, 2015

 

David Rayburn, Exmark

Exmark Logistics Manager, David Rayburn, stands with Logistics Coordinator, Patty Kaufman (middle) and IS Supervisor, Liz Daubendiek.

Where are you from?

I was born in Wisconsin and my family moved here when I was small. I went into the service for two years and then moved back to Nebraska after I got married. We’ve now lived here for the last 34 years.

Tell us about what you do at Exmark.

I manage the product planning process— also known as forecast– for Exmark products. My team consists of myself and our logistics coordinator. We receive direction from marketing for the product need and bring everything down to the specific quarter to meet the financial plan. The production facility then takes the plan and breaks it down. That’s how the production flows.

What’s your favorite thing about working with Exmark?

There’s a passion and a knowledge that people have here and it makes work very enjoyable. When we talk as a team or go through different groups, everyone is knowledgeable about their areas; they have expertise. It’s fun to work with people like that. You don’t have to repeat yourself a lot because everybody knows what they’re doing. Everyone is passionate and easy to get along with.

What do you like to do in your free time?

My family and I like to go camping, fishing, and boating. We take trips to Minnesota and North Dakota to fish and camp as much as we can during the year. But with the weather lately, it’s been tough. At least the rain is good for business in the long run.

What initially drew you to Exmark?

Both my son and daughter work here at Exmark. My son started here first and then my daughter came here after college. After that, Exmark hired me. It’s funny because normally the kids follow the parents into a company but it was the reverse for me. I started off working on the floor in the plant and was able to transition into different areas. After 13 years, I’m now in this position. I’ve been very fortunate. They’ve been very good to me.

If you could have lunch with any person, who would it be?

Probably John F. Kennedy. When I was in grade school, he was running for president and he was one of the first ones where I was old enough to understand a little bit about what was going on. During his election, Bobby Kennedy came through my town. I was in fifth grade, and I skipped school so I could listen to his speech. That’s somebody I would like to understand.

What’s something surprising about you not many people know about?

For the last 27 years, I’ve been doing a yearly reenactment for the Pony Express Association. Every year in June, we’ll ride a horse and carry the mail from Sacramento California to St. Joseph, Missouri, like they did on the original Pony Express back in the 1800’s. We do it in nine days and it’s pretty cool. We try to stay as close to the original trail as we can.

David Rayburn has been a member of the Exmark team for 13 years.

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Employee spotlight – Judd Stewart

Tuesday, June 7th, 2011

Judd Stewart has had quite an interesting career path. His first job was working on the family farm. From there he went on to become part of a bridge construction crew. After college, he taught an engineering class at his alma mater. But Judd admits that his favorite job title is the one he has now —Exmark test engineer. Judd finds a lot of satisfaction in being a part of a team that cares about its products and customers. It also doesn’t hurt that he has fun on a daily basis. Where else are you handed a mower and asked to put it through the ringer? In a safe environment, of course.

Tennis balls have the same geometric weight as dry grass. The average Joe wouldn’t know or have any use for this seemingly dull information. But Judd’s no Joe. In his world, this little fact comes in handy when he’s testing a mower’s stability. Instead of filling the Lazer Z’s baggers with cut dry grass, Judd fills them with tennis balls. Not only does the mower handle in the same way with both materials, but the round green balls are easier to handle and not as messy. Who knew?

Even though playing with tennis balls is a pretty sweet perk, Judd still says his favorite part of the testing process happens when the field-ready prototypes get into the hands of the people for whom they were designed—the landscape pros. He genuinely looks forward to receiving feedback from these guys and he’s happy that it’s usually very positive. When it comes to work, he can’t think of anything else that beats getting a pat on the back from the customers.

Have a question for Judd or our engineering department? Let us know with a comment below.

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Employee spotlight – David Martin

Tuesday, April 19th, 2011

This month, we’re featuring customer service manager and all-around nice guy, David Martin. David is one of the reasons why Exmark is known for unbeatable customer service.

David Martin: Customer Service Manager

Before Exmark, David had very little experience with lawnmowers. When he first started, like everyone else at Exmark, he dedicated himself to learning everything there is to know about the machines. Inside and out. So he spent his first few months working two jobs: fulfilling his regular customer service duties during the day and joining second shift on the factory floor after hours.  There he learned about the different parts and pieces of the mowers and how they fit together to make superior products.

When he’s not diving into his work, David is diving into the ocean.  He’s been on dives in the Bahamas, Belize, Jamaica, Cozumel and Honduras, just to name a few. His scariest and most thrilling moment happened in Belize. An 8-foot shark swimming a foot away from him. He could see every line on its body. Every gill. The shark swam away as quickly as it appeared. It left David both frightened and awed by its powerful presence.

Have a comment or question for David? Leave it below.

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Employee Spotlight: Scott Wolbert

Wednesday, August 4th, 2010

Scott isn’t the kind of guy who would ask anyone to do something he wouldn’t do himself. A line supervisor at Exmark since 1998, Scott gets to work before his staff and stays well past their clock-out time. He says he feels like a firefighter as he goes into the assembly line to get everything prepped and organized, making sure parts are ready and available for the day’s work.

As Scott puts it, “I like to jump right in and help those on the line throughout the day. I want to make them feel more comfortable through leading by example.” That’s why on most days, you can find him helping on the line. He honed his supportive management style at a couple of his previous jobs, where he was a head manager of Godfather’s Pizza and a nightclub owner.

Receiving his first Circle of Excellence award in 2005 is his proudest moment at Exmark. Outside of work, Scott rocks out. Literally. He’s been the lead vocalist and drummer in a local band since 1976. If you live in Beatrice, Neb., or the surrounding areas, you’ve probably heard of them and caught one of their shows. They’ve built up quite the following. As his daughter, who shares the mowing responsibility with her father, once said, “Dad, you are not Bon Jovi or Def Leppard, but you are famous in this area.”

But Scott isn’t just about building a fan base. His helping spirit guides him in giving back to the community by organizing yearly concerts and fundraisers, two of which are ‘Rock For Hunger’ and ‘Rock Against Rape.’ Recently, he raised more than $4,000 at one of the events.

Around here, we’re Scott’s biggest, and possibly loudest, fans.

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Employee Spotlight: Lenny Magnall

Tuesday, June 22nd, 2010

To put it lightly, our employees rock –every single one of them. They’re the reason Exmark mowers are tough, reliable and deliver the best cut in the industry. To show our appreciation to all of the hard-working men and women who make this place tick, we’re going to feature one employee a month. Consider this to be the first of many “Thank Yous.”

Lenny Magnall – Customer Service Technician

13 years and counting.

In a nutshell, Lenny is a problem solver. Whether it’s over the phone or during face-to-face visits, he can answer questions that deal with everything from electrical issues to warranty inquiries to that clickity-click-veeee sound a mower is making while idling.

But answering questions is only part of what he does. Lenny’s also a presenter, video editor and website developer. During the off-season, he’s a road warrior, traveling around the country to speak with dealers, distributors and technicians in person. There isn’t much this guy can’t do.

On a scale of one to 10, Lenny gives his job in the customer service department a 15. His tenure in Research and Development also ranks pretty high. But he’ll never forget starting out as a welder. Putting mowers together was quite an experience. And wielding a blowtorch wasn’t bad either.

When he’s not working, Lenny’s busy fishing and coaching his three boys’ sports teams. As for mowing the lawn, you’ll rarely see him with his Exmark walk-behind. That’s because his wife has taken the reins. He would say something, but then he wouldn’t have as much time for everything else on his plate.

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