Making the choice to modernize, upgrade or expand an equipment dealership is increasingly seen as necessary. The investment of finances and time are significant. So, too, are the risks of businesses not taking action to hit the refresh and renovate button. For the first time ever, we bring the annual dealer modernization feature from the pages of the magazine to the stage. Dealership of the Year Alumni Leo Johnson, Johnson Tractor, has overseen a number of projects — building from the ground up and renovating an existing building — and highlights what he has found to be the must-have features of the modern dealership, including Johnson Tractor's latest greenfield facility in Baldwin, Wis., completed in 2025. He’s joined by Farm Equipment Dealer Hall of Famer and owner of B&G Equipment, Tim Brannon. In 2023, B&G Equipment suffered a fire that left the dealership a total loss, with only rolling stock surviving. “ I know what I got to do,” Brannon remembers thinking. “We’re going to build back better.’ And we did.” In just over a year B&G had a new building in the same location. Brannon highlights the new building and how B&G survived operationally without a building of its own.

You’ll Learn:  The building features that will help your dealership grow in the future, what to consider before you start a facility project & what ideas aren’t always worth the effort.

View the full speaker agenda and topics here.

The 12th Annual Dealership Minds Summit, happening August 4-5, 2026 in Springfield, Ill., features collaborative, dealer-to-dealer learning over a 2-day, knowledge-packed agenda that is guaranteed to give you authoritative strategies from the most progressive minds at farm equipment dealers. Over both days, the Summit offers:

  • Focused General Session Presentations: providing a roadmap for implementing leading ideas and technologies for equipment retailing and servicing success.
  • Dealer-to-Dealer Panel Presentations: highly interactive sessions that provide practical, proven strategies in use by the industry’s most successful dealerships.
  • Informal & Interactive Roundtable Discussions: discover actionable dealer strategies — and answers to your specific questions — via an array of moderated yet informal roundtables.
  • Unrivaled Networking & Knowledge Sharing: exchange successes, dissect challenges and vet out ideas with director-level farm equipment dealership leaders in sales, marketing, finance, operations and IT.

For more information about the 2026 Dealership Minds Summit, to register for the event and to book your hotel room visit farm-equipment.com/dealership-minds-summit

Title Sponsors for the 2026 event are AgDirect, AgGuard, Basic Software Systems, Brilliant Harvest, Dealer Information Systems Corporation (DIS), Geringhoff, LAHZO, North American Equipment Dealers Association (NAEDA), RIMSS, Summers, TractorHouse, Titan International, VitalEdge Technologies and Warranty Consulting Services.