Great Plains names David Disberger new President and CEO
Great Plains Manufacturing, Inc. announced David Disberger will succeed Linda Salem as President and CEO of the company after her semi-retirement next month.
Disberger will be stepping into the role after 36 years of experience in the industrial sector, and after serving as the company’s executive vice president since 2020.
More:Great Plains Manufacturing is expanding in Salina. What does that mean for central Kansas?
As executive vice president, Disberger was responsible for oversight of manufacturing operations, Great Plains International, Great Plains Ag Division and Great Plains Trucking. In a news release, Great Plains said his experience in all sectors of its operations has prepared him for the new leadership role.
Disberger said he looks forward to leading the company next year and learning from Salem, who will serve in an advisory capacity during 2023 to ensure a smooth transition in company leadership.
“Great Plains’ mission is strongly centered around customer satisfaction, taking care of our employees, and ensuring sustained profits are achieved,” Disberger said in a release. “I look forward to carrying on our mission alongside our great team of leaders.”
Transition comes at a time of growth at Great Plains
Salem’s retirement comes after a 28-year career at Great Plains, first joining the company as Director of Financial Reporting. After building her way up through various leadership positions in the company, she was named President and CEO in 2013.
“It has been an honor to lead this vibrant organization for so many years,” Salem said in a release. “The transition to ownership by Kubota North America Corporation in 2016 provided an opportunity for tremendous growth and an expanded role in our customers’ satisfaction.”
During that time, Great Plains grew rapidly, doubling its manufacturing footprint, adding jobs in Saline County and forecasting sales of nearly $1 billion dollars for 2023.
Great Plains remains a top employer in Salina and Saline County. In February, it added jobs and began recruiting from several states throughout the Midwest. Next year, the company anticipates adding a couple hundred more jobs.
Disberger said when Great Plains became a part of Kubota, there was an understanding between the companies that Great Plains were experts in strategies that worked best in the industry for this part of the world.
"(Kubota said) we're not here to change you, but to learn from you," Disberger told the Salina Journal in February.
As part of that partnership, Great Plains recently completed a construction equipment manufacturing facility in Salina with an initial Phase I investment of $53 million. The second phase of the facility expansion, a $124 million investment, is underway.
“I am confident the strong leadership team here, led by David, will continue that same growth and success,” Salem said in a release.
This article originally appeared on Salina Journal: Great Plains names new President and CEO at time of company growth
