RDO Equipment Co. announced three role changes in the Agriculture Division. Daryl Shelton transitioned to Executive Vice President of the Agriculture Division. Kevin Johnston and Brook Stephens were each promoted to regional Vice President of Midwest Agriculture Division. Between them, Johnston and Stephens will assume responsibility for 14 stores, split between the Red River Valley region and the South Dakota/Western North Dakota region.

These changes represent the new leadership team in the wake of the untimely deaths of two long-time RDO Equipment Co. team members, Steve Connelly and Mark Kreps, who passed away in late August.

“There is not a precedent for what this organization experienced in terms of loss of leadership,” said Chris Cooper, Chief Operating Officer of RDO Equipment Co. “The challenge that lays ahead is to carry on the legacy that Steve and Mark established over their long and successful careers. I believe the team we have in place will honor that legacy while also continuing to take care of each other and our customers.”

Daryl Shelton has been with RDO since 2010 when he started as a General Manager in the Construction Division with responsibility for the Irving and Fort Worth locations. He was promoted to Vice President in 2012, and eventually to Executive Vice President in 2017 with responsibility for the Midwest Construction and Texas Construction regions. Prior to his career with RDO, Shelton worked for Ag-Power in Texas, fulfilling General Manager and sales management roles for five years. He also spent 10 years with John Deere in a variety of finance, dealer development, territory, and product development roles.

“I’ve deeply enjoyed my time working in the Construction Division of RDO Equipment Co.,” Shelton said, “but agriculture is where I started my career and is how I live my life. I am looking forward to getting back to my roots, working with this team, and serving our customers.”

Kevin Johnston joined RDO as a Parts Specialist in 1999 at the Fargo location before moving into an Account Manager position in 2002. He was promoted to Store Manager in Kindred in 2008 and then became the Regional Sales Manager for Kindred and Lisbon in 2012. Johnston’s most recent position was as the Regional General Manager with responsibility for the Kindred, Breckenridge, and Fergus Falls locations.

Brook Stephens started with Spink County Implement as a Service Technician in Redfield in 2000 before joining the RDO team through an acquisition in 2004 when he became a Service Manager. He was promoted to Store Manager in 2007 and then moved into the Regional Sales Manager position for the South Dakota locations in 2012. Stephens’s most recent role was Regional General Manager with responsibility for the Redfield, Aberdeen, and Webster locations.