AGCO's 2025 Technician of the year is here
AGCO’S Technician of the Year Skills Competition 2025
Meet this year’s winner!
Congratulations to Kyle Hildebrand from AgWest Ltd. in Neepawa, Manitoba, Canada on being named the 2025 AGCO Technician of the Year! “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." said Ash Alt – Manager, Aftersales Technical Training at AGCO.
"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 AgWest Ltd. for supporting my training and development."
Kyle took home the title as well as $5,000 after competing head-to-head with our five other finalists in a three-day skills competition in Jackson, Minnesota.
Thank you to our finalists
The competition featured events testing critical thinking, product knowledge and technical skills through six scenarios that measured participants’ diagnostic and customer service abilities. This year's events focused on the Fendt 900 Rogator, with future events set to cover other AGCO brands and equipment. Nominations for the 2026 competition open in October.
Eldon Kalinocha
Full Line Ag Sales Ltd
Saskatoon, SK
"Eldon is widely recognized as “The Rogator Guy,” a reputation built on more than 20 years of unmatched expertise and dedication."
Justin Bohl
Butler Machinery Company
Chadron, NE
"Justin is very thorough and resourceful. He's always more than happy to lend advise or a hand when asked. He likes to work with the less experienced techs and train them."
Kyle Hildebrand
AgWest Ltd
Neepawa, MB
"Kyle has a significant impact on our organization. He mentors apprentice technicians, guiding them through complex diagnostics and repairs, which accelerates their development and strengthens overall team performance."
Malcolm Klassen
LMS Ag Equipment
Stanley, MB
"Malcolm demonstrates strong leadership through his actions, attitude, and willingness to support others. He is kind, soft-spoken, and approachable, making him a natural mentor for younger and developing technicians."
Josh Kirsch
AgRev
Vincennes, IN
"Josh’s farmer-first approach consistently keeps customers satisfied day and night. He understands that spraying windows are critical and that downtime can have serious consequences for farmers."
Andrew (AJ) Odquist
Plevna Implement
Kokomo, IN
"AJ is truly a pillar of Plevna. Application questions from customers, as well as other technicians within the company are typically fielded to AJ because he is nearly guaranteed to have the correct answer."
Learn more about AGCO Technician of the Year
AGCO is excited to recognize and honor the hard work of our dealer technicians in North America and their commitment to keeping our farmers’ machines up and running. These professionals spend countless hours at work every season, using technologically advanced tools and software to provide crucial support to AGCO’s valued customers.
The Technician of the Year program was designed to test the best of the best by participating in a head-to-head, hands-on competition where they will be evaluated on their performance based on criteria, including skill, efficiency, effectiveness, and customer service. Finalists will travel to Jackson, Minnesota, and compete in a three-day competition for the grand prize.