Brent Rippentrop

From 1979 to 2009, Brent Rippentrop worked at all levels of management within Deere & Company’s extended corporate structure. He started as an intern with Deere & Company while still an undergraduate majoring in Agricultural Business and Accounting at Iowa State University. Brent Rippentrop joined the company as a full time employee in 1980, and throughout the early 1980s, he put his C.P.A. knowledge to use as an accountant and internal auditor for Deere & Company. In 1984 Brent Rippentrop accepted a position as Systems Analyst for John Deere Information Systems, introducing streamlined financial systems to the company's dealers. By 1986, Brent Rippentrop was involved in pricing policy with financial services. From there, he branched out into a variety of management positions, overseeing all aspects of business development. From 1992 to1994, Brent Rippentrop was responsible for engineering joint ventures involving design and manufacturing of electronic components, software, and equipment. During1994 to 1995, Brent Rippentrop served at Deere & Company’s corporate headquarters, managing a team with worldwide responsibility for mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures, and divestitures.

Soon after, Brent Rippentrop was named Director of Rental Marketing, working in Deere and Company’s, Construction and Forestry Equipment Division. This high profile position in one of the company’s fastest growing divisions allowed Brent Rippentrop to oversee all aspects of sales and distribution, effectively managing relationships with some of Deere and Company's most valued customers.

Selected to manage the partnership between John Deere and one of its affiliated companies, Sunstate Equipment Company, Brent Rippentrop implemented aggressive market-expansion policies over the next few years. During his time as part of the senior management team and Board of Directors of Sunstate, Brent Rippentrop assisted in effectively quadrupling company revenues, overseeing the introduction of the brand into several new markets.