Tony Solon

Provide leadership to the product marketing, communications, pricing, dealer development, and field engineering team made up of 15 people covering both the OEM and replacement tire business, to ensure customers have the best possible products to maximize performance and profitability. Accomplishments have included: • Developed and implemented marketing strategies and tactics for the AG tire business in North America. • Identified market trends, product and service needs, marketing programs to deliver on the goal and to effectively manage the profitable growth for Firestone and the NA dealers and distributors. • Re-aligned the marketing team to better support the overall business goals and objectives. • Served as a team lead on market segmentation study completed with an outside consulting firm, which provided the foundation in developing future programs and products. • Provided direction to staff concerning news dissemination and use of social media. • Collaborated with Corporate Communication team to establish and carry out overall PR strategies. • Served on cross-functional teams that included engineering, manufacturing, legal, sales, and finance. Additionally, participated on the N. American Commercial Division Digital Team for digital enablement. • Managed product clinics and participated with trade group meetings and conventions. • Identified University and third parties to provide testing protocols to validate product claims.

• Managed a team of 10 DSMs and 1 Agronomist in a 20-county area of North Central IL • Developed an annual area business plan that lay the foundation for directing the core strategy to drive sales and profitability and that aligned with the strategic initiatives of Channel Bio Corporation, the brand value proposition, and local market needs. • Achieved sales targets for area of responsibility and successfully managed the area resource budget.

• Managed a four person staff and agency relationships including Ad/PR agencies and independent video/production teams; included news dissemination tactics and leading individual from marketing side engaged with AG editors, writers and news production staff. • Re-launched the Parts brand that included integrated marketing communications programs to support the sales and marketing group; included touch points with the dealers, parts managers, and growers. • Participated on national and global planning for product and digital strategies. • Established processes and procedures for the cross promotion with the whole goods product marketing and brand teams in promoting AGCO and its brands in the North American market place. • Reduced cost and inventory obsolescence by moving to print-on-demand for sales and marketing. • Collaborated with corporate participants involved in trade group meetings and conventions, and with corporate communication team on public relations strategies.

• Developed and implemented marketing strategies and tactics for the parts and customer support in North America, leading the marketing, price and communications team of 21 people. • Identified market trends, product and service needs, marketing, pricing, and communications programs, to effectively manage the profitable growth of the Parts business for AGCO and our dealers. • Re-launched line of replacement parts, transitioned retail parts business to a dealer support parts and service business, and integrated the parts business of Valtra and Sunflower brands with their acquisition into the NA AGCO family. • Eliminated multiple brandings and introduced focused “AGCO Parts” brand to the NA market. The business grew 25% and gross margins went from 26% to 28.5% in spite of dealer reductions.

Responsibilities included working on the planning, development, and implementation of the JD Edwards business system for AGCO NA. Primary focus was on the Planning and Procurement and Orders to Cash areas and providing insight as the “Sales and Marketing Subject Matter Expert.”

• Led and managed staff at 3 locations in Georgia, Kansas, and Missouri and managed agency relationships. • Integrated eight equipment brands to the AGCO family, initiated participation in the NAFB Annual Trade Talk Program, and launched the AGCO Corporate website. • Supported two major product show / launches (1994 and 1997) with media day activities along with the Ag Editors’ Fieldstar tour in the UK and Fendt tour in Germany. • Re- established AGCO’s involvement with National FFA, Farm Safety for Kids Program and national 4H. • Managed annual budget of approximately $10M for advertising, public relations, trade shows, website development, and dealer incentives. Also produced AGCO’s 10th Anniversary celebration. • Served on the global digital marketing team with global digital, social media, and IT managers; participated on cross-functional teams to develop brand/product positioning and market segmentation strategies, marketing materials and content.

• Managed a six-person staff and a $6 million annual budget for advertising, public relations, promotions, and trade shows. • Launched new brand and company identity and 3 new product groups; managed relationships with outside agency and vendors, and participated on cross-functional teams to develop brand/product positioning strategies, materials and content. • Participated in issues management and media relations training and on national and global planning for product and digital strategies.