After a succession of years where equipment sales continued to increase, not because of dealership marketing efforts or sales force contacts, but rather because of increasing commodity prices and end-user ebullience, many dealership sales forces now find themselves in a sales funk. Regular updates by Farm Equipment continue to provide evidence of declining sales — actual and forecasted — as quarterly results are released by leading manufacturers.

Diversity is key for Ritchie Implement, the 2015 recipient of the over $75 million in revenues category of the Dealership of the Year program. Ritchie Implement’s commitment to a variety of product lines, a broad customer base and the addition of third generation management have made the dealer a success. “We don’t keep all our eggs in one basket,” says CEO and Co-owner Ron Ritchie.