Leo Durand, owner of Quickie Lube and Rental in New Richmond and Hudson, Wis., purchased the first 250 skid steer loader made at John Deere’s Dubuque, Iowa factory. The company honored Durand at a ceremony celebrating the successful relocation of the production of the company’s five skid steer models from its Loudon, Tenn., factory to Dubuque.
More than 400 people attended and witnessed Butch Sumpter, John Deere’s general manager of construction operations, present Durand with a gold key as well as a pewter replica of the machine he had purchased. The proceedings included speeches from Sally Pederson, Iowa’slieutenant governor, Jim Hecker, an international United Auto Workers representative, Deere officials and other local politicians.
