Wayne G. Broehl

This final volume of Wayne G. Broehl, Jr.'s Cargill trilogy brings the history of this large privately held company up to the present day, offering a unique and informative behind-the-scenes look at one of the world's premier agribusiness corporations. The story picks up in 1977 as Whitney MacMillan begins his stewardship of the company and as Cargill begins to work its way through issues of corporate governance, business restructuring, and generational transitions within the owning families. MacMillan leads the company through great growth, diversification, and globalization. Broehl also discusses the changes at Cargill under two non-family CEOs, Ernest Micek and Warren Staley. Together, they transform the organization from a commodity-oriented entity to a customer-focused one.

John Deere's Company is an engaging two-volume narrative account of Deere's growth from its foundation by a blacksmith to its position as a dominant maker of agricultural machinery. This is Volume 2, which covers company history from 1928 to 1982--essentially from the Model GP tractor to the 40 Series tractors.Author Wayne G. Broehl Jr. dedicated the better part of a decade to this work, and the comprehensive overview of John Deere is packed with details on the entire industry as well as insight into some of the most fascinating strategies, backroom deals, and near-miss acquisitions in agricultural company history.The story follows the company's role in the extraordinary growth of the American agricultural economy, its role in the discovery and application of major innovations in machinery and manufacturing methods, and, finally, its role in the sharing of that technology throughout the world.Readers are privy to intriguing backstories, including the partnership with Caterpillar, Charles Wiman's strategy for taking over the number one position in the agriculture industry, the collaboration with Yanmar, and the fascinating merger attempt with Fiat--as well as consideration of a joint venture with Deutz.Broehl Jr. has woven these complex threads into a lively and absorbing historical account that is a must-read for anyone who loves the history of heavy machines and American industry.