AGCO’s 2024
Operator of the Year
To recognize standout application specialists, AGCO is searching for men and women across the country to take home the title of Operator of the Year. After all, we depend on them to protect countless acres of land, ensuring that food reaches every table across the nation. Each of your nominations gets us closer to recognizing the cream of the crop in this trade.
Submissions are closed for AGCO’s 2024 Operator of the Year.
Thank you for your nominations! Check back later to see who wins.
Download official rules
Since 2006, AGCO has honored the hard work of ag retailers and custom applicators in North America with the Operator of the Year program. These dedicated men and women are evaluated based on their performance both on and off the field, including criteria such as skill, dedication, customer service, and community involvement. These professionals spend untold hours in the field every season, using technology advanced application machinery to apply fertilizer and crop protection products on millions of crop acres. This helps ensure growers/farmers achieve their best possible yield. They help feed the world, and AGCO believes it is important to recognize them year after year.
2023 AGCO’s Operator of the Year
Congratulations to
Lee Pemberton
Lee Pemberton lives in Hallock, MN where he works at Makin’ Trax Contractors. Aside from over 25 years of hard work as an operator, he is a devoted father and grandfather, attending their various extracurricular activities and even including them in hunting trips. He consistently puts in over 5,000 hours a year working for his community’s volunteer ambulance and serves on the hospital board.
Lee Pemberton was crowned at last year’s ARA Conference & Expo in Orlando, Florida, and took home a new side-by-side UTV or cash equivalent. Thank you to all our nominators last year.
We acknowledge and celebrate every hardworking applicator professional every day and we’re already looking forward to next year’s nominees.
2023 Operator of the Year Finalists
A very special thanks to our runner-ups Matt Keehr and Brian Leone! Your hard work and dedication are an inspiration to all of us at AGCO.