From Farm Roots to Corporate Heights: an Alumnus' Path to Leadership

There’s something to be said about proving you have what it takes with hands-on experience... I entered the workforce with a mindset that I can get in a pool with sharks and alligators and still find a way to swim.

As the head of Case IH North America, Kurt Coffey oversees the production of tractors, combines and advanced technology for the future of farming. Every day, he deploys a proficient knowledge of agriculture, marketing, economics and statistics to guide the company with strategic precision. It’s an impressive combination of skills for anyone to possess, and Kurt credits Lake Land College as the foundation of his expertise.

Kurt considered many different career trajectories coming out of high school, but having grown up on a farm in Ashmore, he always gravitated toward agriculture. Lake Land therefore became an obvious choice to continue his education, and Kurt was immediately impressed with the College’s blend of classroom instruction and practical application.

“There’s something to be said about proving you have what it takes with hands-on experience, because that makes you grittier and scrappier than a lot of students who attend big schools following high school,” Kurt said. “I entered the workforce with a mindset that I can get in a pool with sharks and alligators and still find a way to swim.”

After graduating from Lake Land, Kurt transferred to Illinois State University and eventually began a career in agriculture. His relentless, hard-working approach to his craft earned him a strong reputation in the industry and placed him on the radar of CNH Industrial, the parent company of Case IH.

In 2008, Kurt joined CNH as a field representative. In this entry-level role, he promoted CNH products and managed customer relationships in his assigned region throughout Illinois. It was a competitive position, with 50 other employees just like him making their case for a finite number of promotion opportunities.

Kurt’s work ethic once again set him apart from his peers, and he gradually began to advance through the company and earn opportunities for career growth. By 2011 he became a marketing manager,

and he earned marketing director status just three years later. Even as his career rapidly progressed, Kurt never allowed himself to be distracted by any end goal. Instead, he focused on learning everything he could and keeping his path broad to increase his knowledge as much as possible.

“People often think of career growth in terms of connecting point A to point B with a straight line, but your path isn’t always going to be linear,” Kurt explained. “There’s tremendous value in moving laterally or even moving backward to learn as much as you can and develop new skills.”

In 2021, Kurt became the head of Case IH, the world-famous subsidiary of CNH responsible for manufacturing bright red farming machines and the cutting-edge technology within them. With thorough experience in all business functions, Kurt manages the company with a rare degree of comprehensive mastery. Even more vital to the success of a company and the retention of talent is leadership, and Kurt continuously strives to be the type of leader who others want to work with.

Kurt considers his position with Case IH to be a dream job, but he also suspects it won’t be the final stop of his career. He considers himself a lifelong learner, always adding new skills to his crowded resume and opening new paths for himself to follow. He hopes to find new ways to give back and pour into others, a way to return the favor for all the blessings he’s received over the years. He also finds himself looking back to his life growing up on the family farm in Ashmore, and he hopes to one day return to where his love for agriculture all began.

“I suppose it’s a little ironic. People fight and claw for the chance to retire and golf down in Florida and live a life they’ve never had,” Kurt said. “I’d like to return to where my life began and farm all over again. It’s just what I love.”