Retired John Deere executive to speak on global shortfall of food production
Tuesday, Feb. 25, 2014
MANHATTAN -- David C. Everitt, a former John Deere division president, will present "Combining business objectives, appropriate technology and social support programs to help feed a hungry world" at 1:30 p.m. Tuesday, March 11, in Fiedler Hall Auditorium at Kansas State University.
The event is part of the College of Engineering's Eyestone Lecture Series and is open to the public.
Everitt retired as president of John Deere's Agriculture and Turf Division-North America, Asia, Australia and Sub-Saharan and South Africa, and Global Tractor and Turf Products, in September 2012, where he had been responsible for sales and marketing in those regions and countries, including the U.S., Canada, Australia, China, Southeast Asia, Africa and India. He oversaw product platform groups consisting of all tractors and turf and utility products, as well as holding enterprisewide responsibility for the information technology and intelligent solutions group.
He began his career at Deere & Co. in 1975 as an engineer, holding a variety of management positions throughout the company in industrial engineering, production engineering, mechanical services and sales. Everitt was appointed senior vice president and managing director of Deere's EAME operations in 1999, and was named president of Deere's agricultural division in September 2001. During his service as a senior officer, he had enterprise responsibility for human resources and compensation, engineering and supply management.
"One of the thematic goals of K-State 2025 is to 'create a culture of excellence that results in flourishing, sustainable, and widely recognized research, scholarly and creative activities, and discovery in a variety of disciplines and endeavors that benefit society as a whole,' said Noel Schulz, associate dean of research and graduate programs in the College of Engineering. "David Everitt's lecture on the measures needed to feed our world will serve as another catalyst in attaining our vision of becoming a Top 50 research university."
Everitt serves on the board of directors for Harsco Corp., Agrium, Brunswick and Gates Corp. In addition, he is a member of the board of directors for the National Business Aviation Association in Washington, D.C., and a director of the Marco Island Yacht Club in Marco Island, Fla.
A native of Concordia, Kan., Everitt is a 1975 graduate of Kansas State University with a bachelor's degree in industrial engineering.
The Eyestone Lecture Series, established in 2000, is funded by an endowment of the late Fred and Mona Eyestone. Fred Eyestone, a 1941 K-State graduate in electrical engineering, was a member of the College of Engineering Advisory Council and a Distinguished Service Award recipient.
