At Ag Leader, we value quality. Guided by our four core values – Excellence, Approachability, Ready-Willing-Doing, and the Courage to do What is Right, each of our departments strive to produce products they are proud to stand behind, never compromising on quality. Because we operate in a culture of continuous improvement, our product failure rate is less than 1.5%. While we are proud of that achievement, it also drives us to improve that number each day.
That commitment to quality also extends to the people we hire. As a part of the Ag Leader family, our employees value ethics, relationships, trust, and integrity while thriving in an atmosphere that is not only innovative and welcoming but encourages ideas and creativity.
Martin Otters grew up on his family’s farm in Bavaria, Germany, with his parents and two sisters. At the time, the Otters raised cattle and pigs. As the family transitioned out of animal husbandry, they began arable farming and created a small farm holiday resort for families with small children.
In the early nineties, Martin rented land and founded his own farm in East Germany and did contract work for neighboring farms. To make paperwork and accounting easier, he started using farm management software developed by a French company. In 2004, the developer of the software offered Martin a position as a sales representative in Germany. This role would launch his career in the precision farming industry. Today, he serves as an Ag Leader Territory Manager for EMEA East and DACH regions.
“I was interested in technology very early and was influenced by my father who was always looking for the latest technology to make farm work easier and more efficient,” Martin says. “As I saw things growing on the farm, I also learned about the impact my work has on the results.”
AL: Do you actively farm today?
MO: When I started working outside of the farm, I reorganized the business, so I could focus on my career. Today, I have one farm employee, and we work together with contractors and a crop advisor to get the work done. But you can still find me in the cab during harvest or sometimes on weekends.
AL: How long have you been at Ag Leader?
MO: I have been at Ag Leader for two years. Before I joined Ag Leader, I worked at Ag Junction for three years, more than eight years for a precision farming distributor in Germany, and three years for the precision farming department of Claas in Germany.
AL: What do you like most about working at Ag Leader
MO: My favorite thing about working with Ag Leader is the people that I work with share the same values and believe in building strong teams. I feel one of the reasons for this is because Ag Leader is still a family-owned and operated business where leaders support their employees, treat them as equals, and people feel accountable in the decisions they make.
AL: How do you ensure quality each day in your role?
MO: In my role there is a lot of creative freedom. It is important to me to continually review the goals we have set and to set priorities based on them to be successful.
AL: If there was one thing you want farmers to know about Ag Leader and the products we create, what would it be?
MO: “It just works!” is one type of feedback we get from our customers a lot, meaning the products are easy to use and durable. I think it’s very important for farmers that they can rely on our products that make their daily work more efficient.
AL: In your time at Ag Leader, can you share an achievement or experience you are most proud of and why?
MO: I think one important thing was to build trusted relationships with existing and new business partners when I started my job. I´m very proud to see the results and their growing business despite the difficult market environment in some parts of my territory now.
AL: What do you like to do in your free time?
MO: I like spending time with my family. In the summer, we go mountain biking and spend the winter vacation skiing in the Austrian or Swiss Alps. I am also a member of a traditional men’s choir and try to attend the group’s rehearsals whenever possible.
ABOUT THIS SERIES
In the We Are Ag Leader series, we will introduce you to a wide array of people who work at Ag Leader. Our founder, Al Myers, created Ag Leader in 1992 with one mission in mind: To provide a workplace that challenges and motivates individuals to create and deliver innovative products.
Ultimately, addressing the wants and needs of farmers is our number one priority. We exist to enhance the lives of farmers around the world by developing proven precision farming technology that exceeds farmers’ expectations.