John Deere names president for construction division

Stone

Deere & Company’s board of directors elected John Stone as president of worldwide construction and forestry and power systems, effective July 1.

In the role, Stone is responsible for the overall management and performance of the company’s construction and forestry operations throughout the world, as well as the Wirtgen Group organization. Stone will also have responsibilities for the company’s engine, drivetrain and electronic-component businesses.

Stone, who joined John Deere in 2002, has managed the company’s global utility tractor product line and headed corporate strategy. Since 2016, he has served as senior vice president of the Intelligent Solutions Group. In that role, Stone led the company’s efforts to develop precision technologies.

According to John Deere, Stone was instrumental in the opening of John Deere Labs, a San Francisco-based research unit focused on technologies such as machine learning and robotics. Also under Stone’s leadership, John Deere in 2017 acquired Blue River Technology, a company that develops computer vision and machine-learning capabilities for agriculture.

Stone succeeds James Field, who will assume a new role as senior advisor. Field will provide counsel to John Deere leadership on financial and operating matters.

Since joining John Deere in 1994, Field has held a number of leadership assignments. He was president of the former commercial and consumer equipment and agriculture and turf divisions, and he served as a senior vice president and CFO. In 2018, Field was named president of John Deere’s worldwide construction and forestry and power systems.

John Deere has delivered products and services to support those linked to the land since its founding in 1837.