MOLINE, Ill. (Oct. 2, 2018) — Deere & Co. (NYSE: DE) today announced changes to its leadership team in response to the planned retirement of a member of senior management later this year.

"We are taking this opportunity to realign the senior management team to improve efficiency, further develop leadership talent and more effectively align the organization in support of the company's business strategy," said Samuel R. Allen, chairman and chief executive officer.

The following changes are effective November 15:

  • Max A. Guinn, 60, will retire as president, Worldwide Construction & Forestry Division.
  • James M. Field, 55, is appointed president, Worldwide Construction & Forestry Division.
  • John C. May, 49, is appointed president, Worldwide Agriculture & Turf Division — Global Harvesting and Turf Platforms, Ag Solutions, Americas and Australia.
  • Mark von Pentz, 55, is appointed president, Worldwide Agriculture & Turf Division, Global Tractor and Hay & Forage Platforms, Europe, CIS, Asia, Africa.
  • Raj Kalathur, 50, is appointed Senior Vice President, Chief Financial Officer and Chief Information Officer.

Guinn is retiring after 38 years of distinguished service at Deere. After joining Deere as an engineer in 1980, his career included a variety of management and leadership assignments.

Field, who had been a president in Deere's Agriculture & Turf Division, will succeed Guinn as president of Worldwide Construction & Forestry. He has an extensive background in finance and operations and in his new role will focus on sustainable, profitable growth around the globe as well as the continued integration of the Wirtgen Group.

May will assume leadership responsibilities for the Agriculture & Turf Division in the Americas and the crop harvesting and turf platforms while continuing to lead the crop care platform and Intelligent Solutions Group. He has had primary responsibility for the company's precision-agriculture strategy since 2012.

Von Pentz will add Deere's hay and forage product platform to his existing duties of leading the company's tractor platform and for Europe, the CIS, Asia and Africa. Combining the hay and forage and tractor platforms reinforces Deere's commitment to ongoing worldwide growth.

Kalathur will continue in his role as chief financial officer and assume responsibility for the company's information and technology function — a move to help position information technology as a strategic competitive advantage for Deere.