Executive Insight: Cultivating Innovation

As the CEO of INEDA, I believe that innovation is not merely a tool for progress; it’s the very essence of what connects us as individuals and communities. In the equipment realm, innovation is not just about adopting new technologies or techniques; it’s about re-imagining the way we interact with the land, the market, and...…

Executive Insight: Cautious Optimism

As we say goodbye to 2023 and welcome 2024, this issue of the Retailer is focused on our economy.  As we have heard from many of you, along with the sentiments you’ve heard in your dealerships, there is an uneasiness underlying our current economic condition.  A few of the factors contributing to this feeling include...…

In Uncertain Times, Things Become Very Certain

[Author: Mark Hennessey, 05.2020 | Keywords: Executive Insight, COVID-19] These are uncertain times. Nobody knows when the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic will be over, who will test positive, and whether or not they will recover. This uncertainty has caused fear, anxiety and stress, turning our worlds upside down. The media coverage has been relentless. When trying...…

2016 Legislative Review

[Author: Andrew Goodman, 01.2016 | Keywords: Executive Insight, Legislative Review] This past summer, each of INEDA’s state legislative committees met to discuss policies for the 2016 legislative sessions. Following those committee meetings, our staff liaisons and lobbyists worked during the last few months to prepare for the upcoming legislative sessions. While the actual legislative sessions...…

Industry Relations

[Author: Andrew Goodman, 03.2016 | Keywords: Executive Insight, Industry Relations] In the May 2000 issue of The Retailer, I wrote about the relationships between dealers and manufacturers and factors affecting those relationships. At that time, manufacturers had become much larger and more diversified, resulting in a wider range of interest with less focus on equipment...…

DIY Equipment Repairs

[Author: Andrew Goodman, 05.2016 | Keywords: Executive Insight, DIY, Right to Repair] Legislative bill 1072, known as the “Fair Repair Act,” was introduced to the Nebraska Legislature by State Senator Ken Haar on January 20, 2016, and heard by the Judiciary Committee on February 25, 2016. The bill reads as follows: “Each original equipment manufacturer...…

The Equipment Dealers Association

[Author: Andrew Goodman, 07.2016 | Keywords: Executive Insight, NAEDA, EDA] The North American Equipment Dealers Association (NAEDA) was founded in 1900 by a group of state and regional association executives who gathered together for a meeting in Chicago. At that time, they felt it was important for all dealers and equipment dealers associations to be...…

The Organizational Balance of Business

[Author: Andrew Goodman, 09.2016 | Keywords: Executive Insight, Business, Management] As businesses continue to grow, the importance of competent, effective management will increase. Management education and skill requirements will also grow as society and technology become more advanced. Experience has shown that three distinct areas of management can affect the overall performance and profitability of...…

Top Ten Member Issues

[Author: Andrew Goodman, 11.2016 | Keywords: Executive Insight, Member Issues] In the December 2014 issue of The Retailer, I wrote about the top 10 issues facing our members. At that time, the top 10 issues were 1) taxes, 2) inventory, 3) buildings, 4) economic trends, 5) dealer transition, 6) legislative/political, 7) employee related issues, 8) dealer-manufacturer relations, 9)...…

Recruiting for Technology

[Author: Andrew E. Goodman, President/CEO, 03.2017 | Keywords: Executive Insight, Recruiting] The critical issue of recruiting and training top notch service technicians has been addressed in past issues of The Retailer. Traditionally, these articles focused on recruiting community college students or graduates trained to service equipment. However, as equipment continues to become more technically advanced,...…

Management of a Board of Directors

[Author: Andrew E. Goodman, 01.17 | Keywords: Executive Insight, Management] Occasionally, I am asked to assist senior management teams or boards of directors with long range or strategic planning. At the outset, I usually find a lack of understanding in regards to the duties and obligations of the board and a degree of dysfunctionality within...…

Looking Into the Future

[Author: Andrew E. Goodman, 05.17 | Keywords: Executive Insight] In my column in the August 2014 issue of The Retailer, I cited a chart published by the Federal Reserve of Kansas City titled, “Gross Farm Income and Net Returns to Farm Operators” covering 1910 to 2010. The chart showed four major peaks in gross farm...…