Osmundson CEO Heather Bruce, Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear and local leadership from Mayfield and Graves County, KY. recently held a groundbreaking ceremony at the planned site for Osmundson’s second production facility.

The plant will produce disc, coulter and seeder blades to meet the demands of Osmundson’s partners in the agriculture and construction markets. Th company will continue to produce disc blades and ag implements from its headquarters in Perry, IA where it has operated for 120 years.

Osmundson is a fifth-generation, family-owned manufacturer of tillable blades and cultivation tools. Founded in 1903 as Osmundson Spade, it currently employs approximately 100 employees at its 142,000-square-foot headquarters and production facility in Perry, Iowa.

Source: | Member since 1977

“I’ve known Jon over a decade as we were colleagues in the Ag Equip industry. We traveled the same shows, called on similar customers and served together on the FEMA Supplier Board of Governors,” said Joe Sampson, Vice President of Sales at Osmundson, Mfg., Inc. “He comes from King Kutter and has also worked for the Italian gear box/drive shaft company called Bondioli and Pavesi. Jon is an avid hunter and outdoorsman.  He is also a former college football offensive lineman.  You’ll be able to tell when you meet him! He is passionate about sales and I have 100% confidence he will succeed at this role, and will fit in wonderfully with us.”

| Member since 1977

“The company’s investment will include the purchase of nearly 35 acres to construct a 150,000-square-foot facility, which will house two hot production lines and support cold workstations that will produce 20-inch and larger disc blades for both the agriculture and construction industries,” Osmundson said. “Construction on the building is scheduled to begin in 2023 and is expected to be completed by 2025.”

| Member since 1977

The Supply Summit & Showcase is March 25 to 27 at the Hyatt Regency Albuquerque. If you register by Jan. 21, you will save as much as $200 as the date approaches and rates increase.

The meeting includes a supplier product showcase, golf, trap shoot, an exploration of the Albuquerque night life, and speaker sessions, with unmatched networking opportunities woven through it all.

GENERAL SESSION SPEAKERS

2020 Public Policy Analysis
By late March, we will be immersed in campaign season, and Ray Starling will join us to help us make sense of the candidates and the issues most relevant to the shortline industry.

In 2017, Starling joined the White House staff as special assistant to the president for agricultural policy. In 2018, he became chief of staff for USDA’s Sonny Perdue.

He returned to his home state of North Carolina in 2019 to serve as general counsel to the North Carolina Chamber of Commerce. In spite of his remarkable career, Starling said the experience in his life that has most shaped him is growing up on a family farm.

Starling will offer analysis of how the top contenders in the presidential race may influence the economy, the regulatory environment, trade, and taxes. He’ll also take a look at a few high-stakes state races.

Learning from Legacies
The Association will bring back a series it introduced in 2018 in which members learn from other members who have had extraordinary staying power in the industry.

This year, we will hear from executives at Sukup Manufacturing and Osmundson Manufacturing, who will share their insights to the challenges and rewards of running a family business with a focus on transitioning from one generation to the next.

Representing Sukup will be President and CEO Steve Sukup and daughter Emily Schmitt, who is the company’s general counsel.

Also on stage will be Heather Bruce, who assumed ownership of Osmundson last year and represents the fifth generation of company leadership.

Operational Excellence
This year we kick off a new service for members: a five-part instructional series on continuous improvement intended to offer a deep dive into the work.

Steve Wilson will make the first of three convention appearances. In between conventions, he will host two webinars that tie together the content.

His first session will focus on readiness—achieving it and sustaining it in your pursuit of excellence.

Wilson is a consultant, coach, and trainer who has worked with hundreds of companies, including Deere, Union Pacific, and Heinz. He’s also worked as an operations manager with Federal Express, a service manager in the automotive and IT industries, and a quality improvement manager for a healthcare provider.