The Ditch Witch organization recognized employees for outstanding service. Honored employees include Jeff Lone of Ditch Witch Midwest who received the 2012 Service Manager of the Year award, Josh Kennedy of Ditch Witch of Oklahoma who received the company's highest honor for service - the Harold Chestnut Award, and Brent Zerr of the Ditch Witch of Oklahoma dealership, who received the highest honor for worldwide sales volume - the #1 Gold Ace Award.
Jeff Lone was named the Ditch Witch Service Manager of the Year. This honor is awarded annually to the individual who promotes the highest level of product support to customers and co-workers in the Ditch Witch organization worldwide.
Lone joined the Ditch Witch organization in 1982 and was promoted to service manager just a few years later. He has been recognized in this role several times with different organizational honors.
“Jeff deserves this award,” said Mark Harbaugh, president, Ditch Witch Midwest. “He truly loves his job, and is devoted to the organization and his customers. They know he would run through a brick wall for them, and he’d do it with a smile on his face. We are proud and honored to have Jeff as a part of our team.”
Ditch Witch Midwest has five locations, serving Illinois, Indiana, and Wisconsin.
Josh Kennedy received the company's highest honor for service - the Harold Chestnut Award. This worldwide award is presented annually to the Ditch Witch parts manager exhibiting superior service most representative of Harold Chestnut, who served as Ditch Witch parts manager for more than 30 years and left a legacy of dedication, enthusiasm, creativity and confidence to get the job done.
Kennedy began working for Ditch Witch of Oklahoma’s Edmond, OK-based location part time 11 years ago while attending the University of Central Oklahoma in Edmond. He began working full time in sales in 2003 and was promoted to department manager in 2008. Kennedy has since helped establish and cultivate every part of his department and the business, resulting in double-digit growth.
“Josh is the model manager - he teaches and educates his staff regularly,” said Gary Bridwell, president and owner, Ditch Witch of Oklahoma. “He desires to be the best he can be and shows up every morning with a positive attitude and passion for his job. We are very proud and fortunate to have Josh on our staff, he deserves this award and we are all very excited for his honor.”
With locations in Tulsa and Edmond, OK, as well as Benton and Springdale, AR, Ditch Witch of Oklahoma was the first dealership in the Ditch Witch organization and has been supplying underground construction equipment and service for more than 35 years.
Ditch Witch honored Brent Zerr with its highest honor for worldwide sales volume - the #1 Gold Ace Award.
Zerr has been a member of the Ditch Witch of Oklahoma dealership team for 13 years and is the only employee to have worked at all four of that dealership’s locations. Zerr is known throughout the Ditch Witch organization for his superior sales skills and his deep-rooted relationships with his customers.
“The Gold Ace award is the tangible representation of the hard work Brent has poured into his territory over many years and the relational seeds he planted along the way,” said Gary Bridwell, owner and president, Ditch Witch of Oklahoma. “Customers appreciate his honesty, sense of urgency, and his understanding of the industry. Brent solidifies our organization and we are proud he is a part of our team.”
