Larry Cole, Ph.D.
Improves Leadership Effectiveness
Larry Cole earned a Ph.D. in Psychology from the University of Oklahoma. Larry was on the faculty of Arkansas Tech University and served as CEO of a Comprehensive Mental Health Center before founding his consulting company, TeamMax®, in 1989.
Since then, Larry has specialized in improving leadership effectiveness and teamwork while fostering the fact that frustration is your best friend. He created the TeamMax® Advantage methodologies to measure behavior change in realtime. In addition to the books and manuscripts listed below, he has written numerous articles for professional, business and trade magazines, and written several unpublished manuscripts that he offers. He has worked in the agriculture industry for over fifteen years.
SPECIALTIES: LEADERSHIP | MANAGEMENT | CULTURE | CUSTOMER SERVICE
Wayne Brozek
Wide Range of Equipment Industry Experience
Wayne Brozek started his career in the Automotive industry in High School as a Parts Delivery Driver. After graduation, he moved to Colorado and decided to stay in the Automotive business while attending college. He held several positions within the Parts Department: Shop Counter/Wholesale phones/Retail counter/Assistant Manager then finally the Parts Manager. He worked hard to improve the health of the dealership’s parts inventory. He became well known as an expert in inventory management and prided himself on having best-in-class inventory performance. Wayne was asked to be the Service Manager and went to work on building a new way to pay his technicians on their productivity and their ability to increase maintenance penetration. After several years of being the Fixed Operations Director, he was moved into the Sales Department as a Sales Manager. He always joked that the Sales guys got cookies and treats for selling the vehicle and the Fixed Operation Departments got the bill for those treats…
As a Sales manager, he had the opportunity to partner with a group to purchase the location where he started his career. A few years later Wayne left the partnership to join an AG Dealer group that had 6 locations. He brought his experience in Service operations to improve the groups Service profitability and changed the entire Technician compensation program. Over the next several years the group had grown from 6 locations to 16 locations.
Wayne was asked to be part of a Dealer performance group and helped work on a new performance metric for all John Deere dealers. The company that started the performance group then asked Wayne to assist them with consulting and training John Deere dealers globally. Wayne has trained dealers all over the globe on ways to improve both their Parts and or Service Operations prior to starting his own consulting business. He and his team pride themselves on improving their customers financial health and making their employees more productive and engaged.
SPECIALTIES: AFTERMARKET | PARTS | SERVICE | OPERATIONS
Jim Kelley
Jim has spent most of his career in the agricultural industry. Born and raised on the family farm in Weyburn, Saskatchewan where the Kelley family began farming in 1916, he has had a distinguished 30-year career in agriculture.
Jim understands all aspects of equipment dealerships, having experience with three major equipment manufacturers. Starting as a technician, he transitioned to sales where he progressed from Salesperson to Sales Management, Regional Sales Management, then Partner in a multi-store operation.
Jim has developed a non-theoretical, hands-on agriculture sales training program focusing on account management and relationship sales. Using this long-term proven technique, he has guided sales representatives to develop and grow their relationship-based strategies, allowing them to successfully increase customer loyalty, sales, and profitability.
Jim’s approach to training is practical and straightforward. He is able to effectively connect with the individuals he trains having been in their shoes. His non-theoretical approach ensures the successful implementation of the training.
SPECIALTIES: WHOLEGOODS | OPERATIONS | SALES
Gord Thompson
28+ Years Experience in the Equipment Industry
Gord began his career with a national accounting firm prior to joining his family’s CIH dealership in 1986. He was dealer principal and general manager of the two store dealership in Saskatchewan until 2014 when he sold it to Redhead Equipment and In 2015 retired from
Redhead.
As a dealer, he served on the board and as president of the Canada West Dealers Association, now part of WEDA. His dealership also belonged to a 20 group throughout that time. In 2016 he joined WEDA’s Dealer Institute as a trainer, specializing in dealership financial management and training dealer staff on understanding and utilizing financial information.
SPECIALTIES: FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT | MERGER & ACQUISITIONS
Dann Olesen
30+ Years of Industry Experience
Dann started his career behind the parts counter in his family’s farm equipment dealership. In 1983 he became a partner and took the role of Parts Manager. Several years later he trained his replacement and moved into equipment sales. Dann assumed the role of CEO of the company in 1995 and led many years of double-digit growth and expansion. Throughout this period he also spent hands-on time working in every department in order to gain a full understanding of how everything works together. His career growth was supported by membership in a 20-Group followed by a TEC group. Dann also held many positions, including Chairman, of the Canada East Equipment Dealer’s Association (CEEDA).
After closing the dealership in 2012 Dann joined a larger dealership group as VP-Aftermarket. In addition to leading the Parts and Service teams to year-over-year growth and profitability, he spearheaded the Leadership Development program for all managers within the company. This program involved customized training that focussed on leadership skills, financial management, operational management and was supported by ongoing coaching/mentoring. As a lifelong student of business, Dann helped plan the dealership’s long-term strategy and successfully execute their objectives.
Dann joined WEDA Dealer Institute in 2021 to continue sharing his knowledge, experience, and passion with others within the industry.
SPECIALTIES: LEADERSHIP | OPERATIONS | AFTERMARKET