Agriculture August 24, 2023
John Deere New Zealand Technician of the Year Award winners announced
Crestmead, Queensland (24 August, 2023) — Three talented New Zealanders claimed top titles at the third annual John Deere Technician of the Year Awards, announced tonight at gala presentation dinner in Brisbane.
Bryce Dickson and Jimmy O'Donnell have been named the Agriculture & Turf Service Technician of the Year and Parts Technician of the Year respectively, while Mark Haughton took out the Construction & Forestry Technician of the Year Award ahead of two Australians and a fellow New Zealander.
For both Bryce and Mark, 2023 marks the second time they have secured the top accolade in their category.
John Deere Australia and New Zealand Managing Director, Luke Chandler, congratulated each of the New Zealand winners and emphasised how important their work was to prosperous industries and their local communities.
"Bryce, Jimmy and Mark have demonstrated exemplary performance among a high calibre field of finalists and should be incredibly proud of their efforts in taking home their respective Awards tonight," Mr Chandler said.
"There can only be one winner in each category, however after meeting many of the technicians in Brisbane over the past few days, it's clear we have a terrific pipeline of talent servicing John Deere equipment and supporting our customers across New Zealand.
"I would also like to acknowledge the Australian winners, Lachlan Corridan, Sarah Lewis, Darcy Miller and Poppy Blohm for their achievements tonight."
John Deere New Zealand Agriculture & Turf Technician of the Year
Bryce Dickson, Brandt, Whangarei, North Island
This year marks the second time Bryce has taken out the highest honor for a John Deere agriculture technician, after first being named Technician of the Year at the inaugural awards in 2021.
"The most rewarding part about being a technician is the support you get from John Deere on products, which gives you the confidence to go out in the field and talk about them," Bryce said.
"Winning my category again in 2023 is mind-blowing for me. I won in 2021, missed out last year, but it's awesome to crack it again."
Bryce began his career in the automotive industry before shifting to agriculture at the start of the global financial crisis. He has since qualified as a Master Technician at the John Deere University, while his first-hand experience owning a small cattle farm gives him a deeper understanding of the needs of primary producers.
John Deere New Zealand Parts Technician of the Year
Jimmy O'Donnell, Drummond & Etheridge, Blenheim, South Island
Jimmy first developed a fascination for machinery while growing up on his family's farm. After eleven years working as a service technician for a photocopier company, he saw a job advertisement for a parts technician at his local John Deere dealership and made the leap to agricultural machinery.
Two years on, his hard work and commitment have earned him the Parts Technician of the Year title, with customers often asking for him by name to source and secure their parts.
"The most rewarding part about being a John Deere technician is the customer interaction and providing the parts that the customers ask for - once they get them in their hand, they walk away happy," Jimmy said.
"I'm stoked to win my category. With all the training that I've had from the team at Drummond & Etheridge, it's a great way to say thank-you to them."
John Deere Construction & Forestry Technician of the Year
Mark Haughton, Drummond & Etheridge, Rolleston, South Island
Becoming a John Deere Construction & Forestry Technician was somewhat of a calling for Mark who has held a love of machinery since childhood. He began his career through an automotive apprenticeship, before travelling to Western Australia to work in the mining industry. He later returned home to New Zealand to work with John Deere.
His success in 2023 follows Mark first securing the Construction & Forestry Technician of the Year title at the inaugural John Deere Technician Awards in 2021.
"I work pretty hard for customers and love that it's being rewarded," Mark said.
"But for me, the most rewarding part of being a John Deere technician is the daily interaction with customers, working on John Deere equipment and utilising John Deere's full suite of available tools to diagnose and repair machines."
About the John Deere Technician of the Year Awards
Established in 2021, the prestigious awards champion the important contribution John Deere technicians make to the Australian and New Zealand agriculture, construction and forestry industries, and honour the outstanding service and support highly skilled and committed techs make to the lives and businesses of John Deere's valued customers.
Mr Chandler said technicians deliver services integral to success by providing highly skilled back-up support and remote diagnostics to ensure optimal machine performance.
"With technological advances driving industry growth, future demand for technicians across rural centres in New Zealand continues to increase," he said.
"It is important for us to recognise and reward our John Deere technicians for striving for excellence and the important contribution they make to the industries they service."
More than 100 technicians were nominated by their dealerships in 2023, with input from customers, and 30 finalists travelled to the company's Australian headquarters in Brisbane this week to be put through a rigorous assessment process, testing diagnostic capabilities, technical knowledge and customer service skills.
How to become a John Deere Technician
John Deere technicians work in dealerships located across Australia and New Zealand providing back-up support and technical expertise to the agriculture, turf, construction and forestry industries. There are many career pathways and progression opportunities, and ongoing training and support in John Deere equipment. Visit the John Deere website for more information: Dealership Opportunities | John Deere NZ
FULL LIST OF 2023 JOHN DEERE TECHNICIAN OF THE YEAR AWARD WINNERS:
New Zealand Agriculture & Turf Service Technician of the Year
- Bryce Dickson, Brandt, Whangarei, North Island
Australian Agriculture & Turf Service Technician of the Year
- Lachlan Corridan, Haeusler's, Sea Lake, Victoria
New Zealand Parts Technician of the Year
- Jimmy O'Donnell, Drummond & Etheridge, Blenheim, South Island
Australian Parts Technician of the Year
- Sarah Lewis, Brandt, Terang, Victoria
Construction & Forestry Technician of the Year
- Mark Haughton, Drummond & Etheridge, Rolleston, South Island
Service Apprentice of the Year
- Darcy Miller, Honeycombes, Ayr, Queensland
Parts Apprentice of the Year
- Poppy Blohm, AFGRI Equipment, Narrogin, Western Australia
-
Bryce Dickson, Brandt, Whangarei, North Island
-
Bryce Dickson, Brandt, Whangarei, North Island
-
Jimmy O'Donnell, Drummond & Etheridge, Blenheim, South Island
-
Jimmy O'Donnell, Drummond & Etheridge, Blenheim, South Island
-
Mark Haughton, Drummond & Etheridge, Rolleston, South Island
-
Mark Haughton, Drummond & Etheridge, Rolleston, South Island
Video package also available on request. Includes:
- interviews with award winners
- interview with John Deere Australia and New Zealand Managing Director, Luke Chandler
- interview with John Deere Australia and New Zealand Director of Aftermarket and Customer Support, Emma Ford, and
- and b-roll of footage from the gala.
About Deere & Company:
Deere & Company is a global leader in the delivery of agricultural, golf & turf, construction, and forestry equipment. We help our customers push the boundaries of what's possible in ways that are more productive and sustainable to help life leap forward. Our technology-enabled products including the John Deere Autonomous 8R Tractor and See & Spray™ are just two of the ways we help meet the world's increasing need for food, shelter, and infrastructure. Deere & Company also provides financial services through John Deere Financial. For more information, visit John Deere at its worldwide website at JohnDeere.com or in New Zealand at JohnDeere.co.nz.
Media Contacts:
Kate Scott
kate.scott@bluehillpr.com.au
0438 389 092
Grace Wickson
grace.wickson@bluehillpr.com.au
0432 748 837
