What is your name and position in the company? Rick Hawbaker, Location Manager
What year was your company founded? John Deere has been in Nevada since 1955; a man named John Cessford owned a previous implement, and sold it to Ted Ryerson in 1955.
Where was the business first located? 1316 6th Street, Nevada
Where is it now and when did it locate there? We are along Highway 30, off Airport Road. We moved to this location in June 2014.
How many employees did the business have when it started? 8
How many employees do you have now? 50 at the Nevada location; 709 in the entire Van Wall Equipment company
What types of jobs are there within your business? Parts sales, equipment sales, service technicians, precision farming experts, administration (receptionist, accounting, HR, service writers), service manager
Where can people review current job openings with your business? www.vanwall.com, hit the “careers” tab at the bottom of the page
In the simplest of terms, what does your company do? We represent the full line of John Deere agricultural consumer products, commercial worksite products (like skid loaders), as well as related equipment and attachments
What are some ways your business and its employees have engaged with members of the community? We support FFA, Parks and Recreation, and school activities. We have been major contributors to all large projects and buildings in Nevada.
What do you believe your business is best known for? As the clear first choice for John Deere needs
Is your business looking toward any big changes in the near future? Our business plan is to continue to grow with additional dealerships in the Midwest.
Did the pandemic have any major effect on your business, either positive or negative? Positive – We were able to avoid any shut down or layoffs. Negative – We had lack of inventory to sell and parts were harder to get.
Why is Nevada/Story County a great place for your business to be? It is a progressive agriculture-centered area with a high quality workforce to draw from.
What’s the best way for people to learn more about your business? We are on Facebook and we have our website: www.vanwall.com.