MyDealer:
RDO Equipment’s Max O’Brien has taken out the Construction & Forestry Service Technician of the Year title at the annual John Deere awards ceremony held last week.
The talented tradesman, who hails from RDO Equipment’s Adelaide branch, vied for the title against five other construction and forestry technician finalists from across Australia and New Zealand, and excelled during the hands-on practical testing at John Deere’s Crestmead workshop.
“I have never been a part of anything quite like the awards before, so it has all been new and exciting for me,” Max says. “Being named a finalist was huge for me as it was recognition of my hard work ensuring customers are always up and running. I feel proud to have won, as I know just how hard all technicians work in helping operators get the most out of their machines.”
RDO Equipment’s CEO Phil Canning congratulated Max and RDO Equipment’s 10 other finalists across the six categories.
“All our finalists should be proud of the way they have represented RDO Equipment amongst a talented field of technicians from right across the country. RDO prides itself on delivering the best machinery experience for our customers, and that comes down to the people working on the equipment day-to-day,” Phil says.
“It’s great to see so many of our technicians nominated across the categories, and for Max to take out the Construction & Forestry award is a true testament to his passion for his work and extensive technical expertise across the John Deere range.”
Throughout his career, Max has prioritised being at the forefront of technology and innovation and has consistently strived to acquire new skills and complete further training. This commitment to continual improvement has helped him earn a reputation for bringing a methodical approach to machine diagnostics, and he says he particularly enjoys the problem-solving element of his job.
“Carefully listening to the precise needs of customers, be they a small owner-operator business running one machine or a large-scale contracting venture with a growing fleet, has been vital to me building a relationship with our customers,” he says.
The John Deere Technician Awards were established in 2021 to champion the skill and dedication of the high-performing techs who not only provide vital backup support to customers, but also help to ensure operators achieve the best possible performance from their equipment.
Technicians were nominated by their dealerships, with input from customers, and were judged on their mechanical and technical expertise, as well as their previous accomplishments in the field or on the job.
In total, more than 100 nominations from across Australia and New Zealand were received for this year’s awards program, with finalists competing in six different categories, including Agriculture Service Technician of the Year, Construction & Forestry Service Technician of the Year, Turf Service Technician of the Year, Service Apprentice of the Year, Parts Technician of the Year and Parts Apprentice of the Year.
