Kyle Hildebrand, a service technician at Ag West Ltd. in Neepawa, Manitoba, Canada, was named AGCO's 2025 North American Technician of the Year on July 30 at the Fendt Lodge in Jackson, Minnesota. Hildebrand competed for the award in a three-day competition that featured real-world scenarios testing diagnostics, product knowledge and customer service, earning a $5,000 grand prize.
Kyle Hildebrand, a service technician at Ag West Ltd. in Neepawa, Manitoba, Canada, was named AGCO's 2025 North American Technician of the Year on July 30 at the Fendt Lodge in Jackson, Minnesota. Hildebrand competed for the award in a three-day competition that featured real-world scenarios testing diagnostics, product knowledge and customer service, earning a $5,000 grand prize.
Service Technician from AGCO dealership Ag West Ltd. in Neepawa, Manitoba, Canada, wins after a three-day competition.
DULUTH, Ga., Aug. 12, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- AGCO Corporation (NYSE: AGCO) named Kyle Hildebrand its 2025 Technician of the Year on July 30 in Jackson, Minnesota, at the Fendt Lodgeâ„¢. This annual award recognizes an outstanding service technician who demonstrates exceptional technical expertise, a relentless commitment to customer uptime and exemplary leadership within the agricultural machinery industry.
AGCO's Technician of the Year program, now in its fourth year, recognizes North American AGCO dealer technicians for their diagnostic and technical abilities, dedication to continuous learning and excellent customer service skills. Hildebrand of Ag West Ltd. in Neepawa, Manitoba, Canada, was awarded the 2025 title and a $5,000 grand prize after a three-day, hands-on competition against five other finalists who were nominated by AGCO dealerships across the US and Canada.
The competition featured real-world situations testing their critical thinking, product knowledge and technical skills through six different scenarios that measured participants' diagnostic and customer service abilities. This year's competition focused on the Fendt™ Rogator™ sprayer, with future events set to cover other AGCO brands and equipment.
"Our technicians are the backbone of our dealer network and serve as the critical link in keeping farmers' equipment up and running during vital field operations," said Ash Alt, Manager, Aftersales Technical Training at AGCO. "Kyle exemplifies the very best of AGCO service and truly delivers on our Farmer-First strategy, combining deep technical skill with a true commitment to our farmers' success. We are proud to honor him with this well-deserved award."
"Receiving this award is a huge honor, because this competition was definitely not easy," said Hildebrand. "Working on Rogators and other AGCO equipment and helping local growers get through critical seeding, spraying and harvest seasons every year is what I love to do. I'm grateful to my team at Ag West Ltd. for supporting my training and development."
Runner-up honors for 2025 were awarded to:
Eldon Kalinocha of Full Line Ag Sales Ltd. in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan
Justin Bohl of Butler Machinery in Chadron, Nebraska
Malcolm Klassen of LMS Ag Equipment in Stanley, Manitoba
Josh Kirsch of Ag Revolution (Ag Rev) in Vincennes, Indiana
AJ Odquist of Plevna Implement in Kokomo, Indiana
Maintaining equipment from AGCO's Fendt and Massey Ferguson™ and technology from PTx™ brands requires the skills of highly trained professionals, and AGCO works closely with its dealers and regional educational institutions to identify, encourage and equip talented technicians. The Technician of the Year competition, the AGCO NexTECH vocational college program, and the AGCO Service Technician A.A.S. associate degree program at Parkland College in Champaign, Illinois, are examples of these focused efforts.
To learn more about AGCO's Technician of the Year competition, go to AGCOtechnician.com or contact your local AGCO dealer.
Fendt, Massey Ferguson and Rogator are registered trademarks of AGCO. Fend Lodge and PTx are trademarks of AGCO.
About AGCO
AGCO (NYSE: AGCO) is a global leader in the design, manufacture and distribution of agricultural machinery and precision ag technology. AGCO delivers value to farmers and OEM customers through its differentiated brand portfolio including leading brands Fendt®, Massey Ferguson®, PTx and Valtra®. AGCO's full line of equipment, smart farming solutions and services helps farmers sustainably feed our world. Founded in 1990 and headquartered in Duluth, Georgia, USA, AGCO had net sales of approximately $11.7 billion in 2024. For more information, visit www.agcocorp.com.
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