Posts Tagged ‘Exmark employees’

Employee spotlight – David Martin

Tuesday, April 19th, 2011

This month, we’re featuring customer service manager and all-around nice guy, David Martin. David is one of the reasons why Exmark is known for unbeatable customer service.

David Martin: Customer Service Manager

Before Exmark, David had very little experience with lawnmowers. When he first started, like everyone else at Exmark, he dedicated himself to learning everything there is to know about the machines. Inside and out. So he spent his first few months working two jobs: fulfilling his regular customer service duties during the day and joining second shift on the factory floor after hours.  There he learned about the different parts and pieces of the mowers and how they fit together to make superior products.

When he’s not diving into his work, David is diving into the ocean.  He’s been on dives in the Bahamas, Belize, Jamaica, Cozumel and Honduras, just to name a few. His scariest and most thrilling moment happened in Belize. An 8-foot shark swimming a foot away from him. He could see every line on its body. Every gill. The shark swam away as quickly as it appeared. It left David both frightened and awed by its powerful presence.

Have a comment or question for David? Leave it below.

Employee Spotlight – Steve Finkner

Tuesday, March 22nd, 2011

Exmark fans, meet Steve Finkner. He’s one of our talented engineers who helps make Exmark mowers the very best.

Steve Finkner: Sr. Engineering Manager

Steve’s been around long enough to see his department grow from 4 to 40+ people. But the growth hasn’t had a negative effect on their culture. As a matter of fact, everyone here is just as committed to creating a better product as the very first engineer hired. Steve can vouch for that. He credits it to having Exmark’s core values and beliefs passed down to every new employee walking through the door. This approach happens in every department. That’s why, when speaking to Exmark employees, you quickly notice they’re all on the same page.

Outside Exmark, Steve practices what he engineers by helping his kids run their own landscaping business. They’re out there on hot summer days working hard and finding great satisfaction in giving their clients a great-looking lawn. That kind of experience comes in handy when Steve’s working on a new mower or improving an existing model. He knows first hand what it takes to make a pro’s job and life that much easier.

What do you think of Steve’s handiwork? Leave a comment below.

Garry Busboom talks cutting platforms

Friday, March 18th, 2011

If you’ve ever wondered who’s behind the industry’s top-notch cutting platforms, we’d like to introduce you to Garry Busboom. He was one of the masterminds behind the original Lazer Z and the redesign of the Exmark deck, including the patented Flow Control Baffles.

We sat down with Garry and picked his brain about cutting platforms. Here’s what he had to say:

Exmark: What are the different elements that can affect the cut quality?

Garry: The list can seem limitless … cutting fast or slow, high or low …  spring, summer, fall, morning, noon or night and types of grass — just to name a few.

Anything environmental…from morning dew to rain or shine, no matter how slight, can have a big impact on the results.

E: How do environmental conditions affect the cutting platform?

G: Any variation in the environmental conditions affects the physical properties of the grass and in turn may have a significant impact on how the mower deck performs. Our goal is to design a deck that will perform at an exceptional level in as many conditions as possible  to be able to provide a product to our landscape pro’s that meets or exceeds his expectations.

E: What were you doing before joining Exmark?

G: I used to design combines and had great fun doing it, so working with mowers seemed like a natural next step. You think about a lawnmower, it’s just a mini combine.

E: If you were a mower, what mower would you be?

G: An LZX29KA606 because I believe it’s the most versatile and productive machine we offer.

E: What does the future hold for Exmark cutting platforms?

G: We’re constantly working to improve the performance of our cutting platforms …it’s always a journey, not a destination.  Our job is to give the landscape pro the best tool for his job and continuously seek for better ways of doing things–that vision and mission will never change.

Have a question for Garry, have a comment or want to share what kind of mower you would be? Leave us a comment below.

Exmark Employees Donate Over $10,000 to Local Charities This Holiday Season

Wednesday, January 19th, 2011

Exmark Employees' Holiday Donations

Exmark Employees' Holiday Donations

We’re proud to announce that this holiday season, many Exmark employees gave back to the local community through a variety of donations to local charities.

Community Food Pantry Donation

Community Food Pantry Donation

The Exmark team raised nearly $10,000 for the local United Way branch. The donation was then matched by the Toro Giving Program for a total contribution of over $17,000.

Also, at Exmark’s annual Christmas party, the Exmark Employee Council collected food and monetary donations for the Community Food Pantry, an organization supporting families needing assistance with food, rent and utility payments. Exmark employees donated over $1,200 and four vehicle loads of food from its efforts.

Thanks to all who participated here at Exmark!

‘Tis the Season: Part 3

Thursday, December 23rd, 2010

This week’s post is from Karen Jurgens, whose true holiday spirit can’t be dampened by a little snow.

Karen Jurgens – Assembler

We always celebrate the holidays with my kids and grandkids coming to our house on Christmas Eve for a sit-down dinner of prime rib with all the fixings. Then we head to the living room where we open presents and catch up. Last year things didn’t go according to plan. If you remember, some major storms, make that blizzards, hit the Midwest. There was one particularly nasty storm right around Christmas that knocked out power lines and closed roads. Well I wasn’t going to let that scrooge ruin our holiday. I put the prime rib in the freezer and moved Christmas to January. Hey, tradition is tradition and no amount of snow in the world was going to ruin it for us. So come January, my kids and grandkids came down and we ate dinner and opened presents. Now that I think about it, this Christmas will be our second in 2010. Not too shabby if you ask me.

No matter how you and your family celebrate, everyone at Exmark wishes you a happy holiday season.

‘Tis the Season: Part 2

Tuesday, December 21st, 2010

This week’s post comes from our very own CEO, whose celebration is steeped in tradition

Rick Olsen – General Manager

Our holiday celebration is shaped by two things: my Swedish ancestry and my birthday. My birthday is on December 24th. This is great for me since that’s the day my entire extended family comes together to celebrate Christmas. We kick things off with a little midday lunch that includes cake and birthday presents. After lunch, we usually spend the rest of the day catching up and enjoying each other’s company. Before we know it, it’s time for dinner. We always have a traditional Swedish meal that takes me back to my roots. A family program follows dinner, where the children play musical instruments and the eldest read Christmas stories. Then it’s time to open presents. But no matter how many presents I get on that day, whether for my birthday or Christmas, my absolute favorite present by far is seeing my entire family in one place.

No matter how you and your family celebrate, everyone at Exmark wishes you a happy holiday season.

‘Tis the Season: Part 1

Monday, December 20th, 2010

The lights are up. The mall Santas have taken their rightful thrones. The deal-hunters are out in full force. The lists and cookies have been made. Everywhere you turn, it’s beginning to look a lot like the most wonderful time of the year. To keep in the spirit, we’d like to take a moment and shift focus from mowers to people. Specifically our Exmark people. The next few posts are dedicated to three of our employees and how they like to spend their holiday season.

We’re kicking off the holiday posts with one from Debbie Hartig.

Debbie Hartig – Materials Coordinator

Ever since I can remember, we’ve celebrated Christmas on the 24th. We always get together at a relative’s house, eat a delicious prime rib dinner and open presents. We have the best time just sitting around and catching up. And if the mood strikes, we’ll pop in a few home movies and catch up on Christmases past. And haircuts past! I can’t imagine spending the holidays any other way.

No matter how you and your family celebrate, everyone at Exmark wishes you a happy holiday season.

Employee Spotlight: Scott Wolbert

Wednesday, August 4th, 2010

Scott isn’t the kind of guy who would ask anyone to do something he wouldn’t do himself. A line supervisor at Exmark since 1998, Scott gets to work before his staff and stays well past their clock-out time. He says he feels like a firefighter as he goes into the assembly line to get everything prepped and organized, making sure parts are ready and available for the day’s work.

As Scott puts it, “I like to jump right in and help those on the line throughout the day. I want to make them feel more comfortable through leading by example.” That’s why on most days, you can find him helping on the line. He honed his supportive management style at a couple of his previous jobs, where he was a head manager of Godfather’s Pizza and a nightclub owner.

Receiving his first Circle of Excellence award in 2005 is his proudest moment at Exmark. Outside of work, Scott rocks out. Literally. He’s been the lead vocalist and drummer in a local band since 1976. If you live in Beatrice, Neb., or the surrounding areas, you’ve probably heard of them and caught one of their shows. They’ve built up quite the following. As his daughter, who shares the mowing responsibility with her father, once said, “Dad, you are not Bon Jovi or Def Leppard, but you are famous in this area.”

But Scott isn’t just about building a fan base. His helping spirit guides him in giving back to the community by organizing yearly concerts and fundraisers, two of which are ‘Rock For Hunger’ and ‘Rock Against Rape.’ Recently, he raised more than $4,000 at one of the events.

Around here, we’re Scott’s biggest, and possibly loudest, fans.