Han Becherer
The man who became CEO of John Deere in mid-1990 and led the company through the next decade has died.
Hans Becherer, a native of Detroit, Michigan, started at John Deere in 1962 and worked for the company in Europe until the early 1980s. He became a vice president of the company in 1983 and led the overseas farm and consumer goods division. Three years after Becherer became CEO, sales of John Deere lawn and garden equipment topped $1 billion for the first time.
Becherer was the CEO when the company became title sponsor of the John Deere Classic, the PGA tournament in the Quad Cities. That was 1997, the same year the John Deere Pavilion in Moline opened as a tourist destination.
Becherer died last Thursday, October 6th, in Colorado.
Sam Allen, the current chairman and CEO of John Deere, issued the following written statement: “Hans Becherer led Deere & Company during a time of significant growth and financial success. He is credited with expanding Deere’s international operations, broadening the product portfolio, and strengthening Deere’s global leadership in agriculture. He also was a driving force behind extensive revitalization efforts that took place in downtown Moline that began in the 1990s. Hans was respected for his insightful thinking, broad international experience, and dignified manner. He exemplified integrity, responsibility, and trust and was a remarkable leader who helped shape the John Deere we know today.”