Dixie Chopper Expanding Workforce

COATESVILLE, Ind. – November 17 -- Since its acquisition by Jacobsen earlier this year, Dixie Chopper has been making significant investments in its products and people. In addition to several new products being added to the company’s portfolio, Dixie Chopper is also hiring on all sides of the business.

Last month, Dixie Chopper launched its 2015 product line-up at the GIE+EXPO in Louisville, Ky.

Currently, Dixie Chopper offers eight different mowers with various residential, light commercial, commercial and industrial models serving over 300 dealers across the United States.

Dixie Chopper now has a full portfolio of mowing products to fulfill the needs of both residential consumers or commercial cutters,” said Wes Evans, director of customer care and son of Art Evans, who founded Dixie Chopper nearly 35 years ago. “These new products are allowing us to move into new markets and we expect the business to grow rapidly over the next several years. In the 25-plus years I’ve been with this business, I’ve never seen so much excitement from our employees, dealers or customers.”

To prepare for the rapid growth, Dixie Chopper is currently adding staff across the company’s departments, especially in the customer-facing areas of sales, marketing and customer care.

“We will continue to invest in our two most valuable assets: our products and our people,” said Chris Vernon, new vice president and general manager of Dixie Chopper. “This is a very exciting time at Dixie Chopper and with the full support of Jacobsen and Textron behind us, 2015 is shaping up to be an excellent year for Dixie Chopper.”

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Dixie Chopper Expands Staff

COATESVILLE, Ind. – June 20 -- On the heels of Dixie Chopper’s recent acquisition by Jacobsen, the mower manufacturer has appointed a new general manager and added four more employees to its growing sales and marketing divisions. The new key roles are part of Dixie Chopper’s ongoing commitment to developing relationships with dealers, partners and customers.  

Chris Vernon, previously vice president of strategy and product management for Jacobsen, has accepted the position of vice president and general manager of Dixie Chopper, effective immediately. Since 2001, Chris’ extensive experience includes sales, marketing, and product management for Greenlee’s telecommunication product lines, general management for Rothenberger, a pipe tool manufacturer and Greenlee joint venture partner; and, most recently, his role at Jacobsen.

David Hunt was hired as a product sales demonstrator and will support customers in North and South Carolina. David will be based out of Charlotte, N.C. and comes to Dixie Chopper with 20 years of experience in sales.

Jason Sentell recently started as a territory sales manager and is responsible for supporting dealers and customers in western North and South Carolina. Jason joins Dixie Chopper with seven years of experience in sales and marketing.

Dena Jenkins was hired as the marketing and events coordinator at Dixie Chopper headquarters and will be specializing in trade shows, event planning and marketing strategy. Dena brings over 18 years of experience in marketing communications to Dixie Chopper.

Sierra Kennedy recently started as the public relations and communications specialist at Dixie Chopper’s headquarters. Sierra will be managing media relations, social media and other marketing initiatives.

“I am very excited about my new role at Dixie Chopper and the direction we are headed,” said Chris Vernon, vice president and general manager of Dixie Chopper. “With Jacobsen and Textron behind us, we are making significant investments in our parts fulfillment, our products and our people. The four new strategic hires in our sales and marketing departments will help us continue the positive momentum we’re experiencing in the marketplace. Expect to hear a lot more from Dixie Chopper in the near future.”

www.lawnandlandscape.com              Lawn and Landscape Magazine    

Jacobsen President Comments on Recent Dixie Chopper Acquisition

April 28 -- Jacobsen's recent acquisition of Dixie Chopper reflects the momentum the mower manufacturer has built in the turf industry over the last several years. This success breeds confidence to do more ambitious things in the turf market, says Jacobsen President David Withers.

In an exclusive interview with GCI, Withers, who has served as Jacobsen's president since 2011, says in addition to strong brand recognition and reputation in the turf market Dixie Chopper was an attractive target because there was zero product overlap. The acquisition provided a unique opportunity to cross-pollinate ideas.

"At Jacobsen, we’ve been developing hybrid and electric technology for years and these guys understand how rotary mowers interact with the grass in different conditions," he says. "[The move] enhances both products lines by the strength of each.”

In addition, while Jacobsen has a significant presence in the North American golf market, in the international market that presence is more split between the golf and municipal markets.

"This is where what we see the counter-cyclical nature of the two sides coming into play," he says. "When the private sector is doing well, quite often governments and municipalities spend less and this happens in reverse where government spends more when the private sector is struggling.

"Expanding our portfolio into municipal markets protects us when one of the two sectors goes into a downturn and gives Jacobsen more stability long-term and allows us to compete with our competitors on a broader base," Withers adds. "Today, we only compete with John Deere and Toro in the golf segment and this allows us to now complete in the commercial and landscape markets as well.”

From a market perspective, it appears parent company Textron has refocused its investment on Jacobsen. Withers concurs, adding that Jacobsen's success in the golf market has proven it can grow and expand its market presence.

"Every company is in either an upward spiral or a downward spiral," he says. "You’re either spending less, cut people and guess what, you sell less. We’re in an upward spiral, we’re making good profitability, moving the business forward and therefore you invest more into new products and better service to customers and they tend to reward you for that and that in turn leads to more sales."

www.golfcourseindustry.com   

Dixie Chopper Assets Acquired by Jacobsen, a Textron Company

Thursday, February 6 -- Jacobsen, a Textron Inc. company, has acquired the assets of Dixie Chopper, a Putnam County-based manufacturer of zero-turn-radius mowers for the commercial and residential markets, it was announced Thursday.

"The addition of Dixie Chopper expands our reach into the consumer and commercial sectors, including municipalities, with a full range of zero-turn mowers known for their speed, quality and performance," Jacobsen President David Withers said.

"It's really a win-win for both companies," he added, "and we look forward to building customer relationships together with Dixie Chopper."

Known as "the World's Fastest Lawn Mower," Dixie Chopper mowers are capable of mowing up to 6.6 acres per hour. The company manufactures 11 models of zero-turn mowers, from the residential Zee 2 with 21-hp Kawasaki engine and 42-inch deck to the industrial category XCaliber Twin with two 27-hp Generac engines and 74-inch deck.

"We are excited to join the Jacobsen and Textron family of brands," Dixie Chopper founder and Chairman Art Evans said Thursday.

"Our line of zero-turn radius mowers fit perfectly into the Jacobsen portfolio of products," Evans added, "and we look forward to working together to serve more customers.

"The joining of Dixie Chopper and Jacobsen offers an opportunity for Dixie Chopper to reach a global market and expand brand awareness in the process."

Jacobsen will continue to operate Dixie Chopper out of the company's Indiana facilities in Fillmore and Greencastle, and the existing Dixie Chopper management team will join Jacobsen.

With the addition of Dixie Chopper, Jacobsen offers a complete product line of turf maintenance equipment, including zero-turn mowers, small and large area reel mowers, trim mowers, wide-area rotary mowers, aerators, sprayers, utility vehicles and renovation equipment.

Founded in 1980, Dixie Chopper revolutionized the entire lawn and garden industry by providing the first zero-turn lawn mowers built specifically for commercial mowing contractors.

Known as "the World's Fastest Lawn Mower," Dixie Chopper mowers are about much more than being fast. The company prides itself on providing quality and reliability in addition to speed. To learn more about Dixie Chopper and view the complete lineup of zero-turn lawn mowers, visit the company's website atwww.dixiechopper.com.

With more than 90 years of experience in the turf maintenance industry, Jacobsen equipment is used on some of the finest formal turf areas across the United States and the world, through an extensive distribution network and the international Ransomes brand. Additional information about the company can be found at www.jacobsen.com.

Textron Inc. is a multi-industry company that leverages its global network of aircraft, defense, industrial and finance businesses to provide customers with innovative solutions and services. Textron is known around the world for brands such as Bell Helicopter, Cessna Aircraft Company, Jacobsen, Kautex, Lycoming, E-Z-GO, Greenlee, and Textron Systems. For more information visit: www.textron.com.

www.bannergraphic.com  

Ex-Dixie Chopper President Charged With Theft

Greencastle, IN -- December 20 -- The former president and one-time chief financial officer of Dixie Chopper/Magic Circle Corp. is facing theft charges following his arrest Thursday.

Simon Paul Delancey Wilson, 39, who was named president and Chief Executive Officer of the Fillmore-based lawnmower manufacturer in October 2011, was arrested Thursday morning in Plainfield where he was reportedly attending the closing on the sale of his home there.

Initially lodged in the Putnam County Jail at 11:15 a.m. Thursday, Wilson bonded out at 6:50 p.m. and made his initial appearance in Putnam Superior Court Friday morning in a brief hearing in front of Judge Denny Bridges.

The judge entered a preliminary not-guilty plea for Wilson, represented by Indianapolis legal counsel, and scheduled a pretrial conference for 8:30 a.m. Feb. 12.

Charged with theft, a Class D felony, Wilson could face six months to three years in prison and a fine of up to $10,000 if found guilty.

A report by investigating officer Det. Pat McFadden of the Putnam County Sheriff's Department alleges that Wilson stole $18,705 in cash and merchandise from the rewards account set up on a corporate American Express Card issued to Magic Circle Corp. in Wilson's name.

He reportedly collected the rewards points from company expenses that were charged to the corporate credit card, allegedly converting them into 17 American Express gift cards of $1,000 each and $1,705 in merchandise he reportedly had sent directly to his Plainfield home.

Wilson has been living and working in Fargo, N.D., since he was asked to resign this past June for "misrepresenting the corporation's financial position," a probable cause affidavit states.

Wilson was elevated to head up Dixie Chopper operations in October 2011 after then-president Gary Morgan was also asked to resign for reasons unrelated to this incident, court documents note.

Morgan was hired from New Holland Corp. in November 2008 to be president and CEO of Dixie Chopper. Soon thereafter, he brought in Wilson from New Holland to be CFO.

Morgan was also issued one of the two original American Express cards acquired when the account was initially opened, Det. McFadden reported. Eventually more cards were added to the account, totaling approximately 40 in 2013.

Dixie Chopper accounts never received any rewards benefits from the American Express program, McFadden's report also noted.

The investigation determined that Wilson did not have Magic Circle Corp. board approval to open a corporate account, as required by corporation bylaws.

Documents indicate Wilson made 13 documented purchases through the rewards program, totaling the $18,705 over the period April 12, 2011-April 5, 2012.

McFadden further noted that Magic Circle provided documentation that none of the cash or merchandise was ever awarded to Wilson as a company bonus. The detective also noted that none of the income was reported on Simon's tax returns.

www.bannergraphic.com

Dixie Chopper Says Will Call Back Laid Off Workers By Early 2014

FILLMORE – November 18 -- Reluctantly, Dixie Chopper has temporarily laid off some of its employees as of Monday.

"The decision was not an easy decision but it was necessary for the continued success of the company," Chief Financial Officer (CFO) Bradley M. Craig said in a prepared statement provided to the Banner Graphic.

"The doors at Dixie Chopper are open and will remain open," he added.

Dixie Chopper has every intention of calling back as many of the affected employees during the beginning of 2014, company officials said

Specific numbers laid off were not disclosed.

The layoffs have come as the Dixie Chopper management team, which was put in place back in June, is reorganizing the company "to ensure a strong financial position in the marketplace, optimal production levels, reduced overhead costs, and a streamlined shipping process."

The new management team is composed of company founder Art Evans as chairman of the board, Wes Evans as president and chief executive officer (CEO), Jeff Haltom as vice president, Bradley Craig as CFO and Greg Fernandez as vice president of administration.

Company founder Art Evans, who built the first of Dixie Chopper's zero-turning-radius lawnmowers in an old dairy barn on his parents' property north of Fillmore in 1980, is delighted to let everyone know that the "city slickers are out of town" and that the company is "getting back to its roots."

Those roots run deep locally and include producing commercial and residential zero-turn mowers designed to outlast the competition.

To date, every Dixie Chopper mower ever built has been assembled in Putnam County -- either at the longtime factory outside Fillmore or for a short time in the former Mallory plant in Greencastle that was razed in April 2011, two years after production was transferred back to Fillmore from that facility.

Meanwhile, in related news, Dixie Chopper has announced the release of a new stand-on mower, The Stryker, which was recently unveiled at the Green Industry Expo (GIE) show in Louisville, Ky.

The Stryker stand-on received a lot of attention for its durability and state-of-the-"Art" handling.

Dixie Chopper plans to begin production on The Stryker stand-on in early spring as the homegrown Putnam County company focuses on continuing to bring new, innovative ideas to the marketplace.

www.bannergraphic.com     

Dixie Chopper to Utilize New Building

December 3 -- Preliminary interior construction work at the Garmong Development spec building is under way, as evidenced by activity Friday at the facility on Greencastle's East Side. Dixie Chopper will soon occupy the 50,000-square-foot facility.

The speculation is over. The spec building is no longer a shell.

Greencastle/Putnam County Development Center Director Bill Dory announced Friday that an agreement has been reached for Magic Circle Corp. -- the corporate name of Dixie Chopper -- to lease the 50,000 square-foot spec building for three years with a two-year additional option.

Work has begun on laying a concrete floor in the structure at 2540 E. CR 50 South (west of Fillmore Road and north of IAC Corp.).

Dixie Chopper, founded in Putnam County by Art Evans in April 1980, will continue to build its 20-some models of the "World's Fastest Lawn Mower" at its 120,000-square-foot facilities north of Fillmore.

New Dixie Chopper President Simon Wilson was unavailable for comment Friday on how the Putnam County company will utilize the now-former spec building. It could use the facility for assembly, manufacturing of components or possibly even parts operations.

However, Dory told the Banner Graphic that Wilson had indicated the new facility will allow Dixie Chopper flexibility as the company continues to grow and will help assure that such growth occurs within the local community.

"From my perspective," Dory said, "it's nice to be able to help a local business grow and support the local economy."

No timetable was available Friday on when Dixie Chopper would occupy the building for its purposes.

Dory informed the Greencastle Redvelopment Commission Wednesday night that a tenant had been secured for the controversial shell building, earning applause and a standing ovation from members.

He was unable to identify the tenant, however, until Dixie Chopper and Garmong Development Co. had worked out final details of the lease on the building and its 9.76-acre site.

Simon Wilson Taking Over Reins at Dixie Chopper

FILLMORE – October 27 -- Magic Circle Corp. (d/b/a Dixie Chopper) today announced that Simon Wilson has been named the company's new president and CEO and has been reconfirmed to the Magic Circle Board of Directors.

Wilson will report to board of Magic Circle Corp. He replaces Gary Morgan, the president and CEO who has resigned to pursue other interests.

"Simon did a great job as our chief financial officer and VP of operations since joining us two and half years ago, and I expect he'll do an even better job as our president and CEO," Magic Circle Chairman Arthur L. Evans said.

"His experience and relevant experience will well suit our needs as a company. He has a background in sales and marketing, aftermarket parts and developing dealer networks."

"Simon is an outstanding executive and a proven winner," Dixie Chopper Vice President Wes Evans said. "I look forward to working with him for years to come. As Dixie Chopper continues to grow, we need people experienced in operating a large business."

New president Wilson is eager for the challenge.

"I believe in Dixie Chopper's strategy of solid, American-built lawn care equipment through an established independent dealer organization will enable Dixie Chopper to take on the competition head-on," Wilson said.

"We are just beginning our growth," he added. "We have some exciting new products we have just announced and more coming shortly. I'm excited to be a part of the most innovative outdoor power equipment company in the industry."

Dixie Chopper manufactures and assembles commercial and residential zero-turn mowers -- marketed as "the world's fastest lawnmowers" -- at its facilities in Fillmore. Art Evans founded the company in 1980.

 www.bannergraphic.com

New President at Dixie Chopper

FILLMORE – October 27 -- Magic Circle Corp. (d/b/a Dixie Chopper) today announced that Simon Wilson has been named the company's new president and CEO and has been reconfirmed to the Magic Circle Board of Directors.

Wilson will report to board of Magic Circle Corp. He replaces Gary Morgan, the president and CEO who has resigned to pursue other interests.

"Simon did a great job as our chief financial officer and VP of operations since joining us two and half years ago, and I expect he'll do an even better job as our president and CEO," Magic Circle Chairman Arthur L. Evans said.

"His experience and relevant experience will well suit our needs as a company. He has a background in sales and marketing, aftermarket parts and developing dealer networks."

"Simon is an outstanding executive and a proven winner," Dixie Chopper Vice President Wes Evans said. "I look forward to working with him for years to come. As Dixie Chopper continues to grow, we need people experienced in operating a large business."

New president Wilson is eager for the challenge.

"I believe in Dixie Chopper's strategy of solid, American-built lawn care equipment through an established independent dealer organization will enable Dixie Chopper to take on the competition head-on," Wilson said.

"We are just beginning our growth," he added. "We have some exciting new products we have just announced and more coming shortly. I'm excited to be a part of the most innovative outdoor power equipment company in the industry."

Dixie Chopper manufactures and assembles commercial and residential zero-turn mowers -- marketed as "the world's fastest lawnmowers" -- at its facilities in Fillmore. Art Evans founded the company in 1980.