MU graduate gives career advice to CAFNR students
By Chris Matthews, posted 11/18/05

University of Missouri graduate, David Forsee, president of MachineryLink, Inc., visited campus Nov. 15-16, to give students his advice on how an agricultural company works and what it takes to be an entrepreneur.

Forsee’s visit was part of the Robert O. Reich Family Executive in Residence program. The program, administered by the College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources, is designed to give students exposure to professionals who have experience and knowledge in business, according to the program’s web site.

Forsee graduated from MU with a bachelor’s degree in business administration in 1978 and eventually obtained a master’s degree in business from Harvard.

MachineryLink leases heavy farm equipment such as tractors and combines to farmers. The company is headquartered in Kansas City, Mo.  As the CEO of MachineryLink, Forsee oversees the daily operations of the company.

Forsee said farm equipment costs too much to only be used a limited amount of time each year. His company allows the farmer to use equipment without having to purchase it.

While Forsee acknowledged that his services are not practical for some large farm operations, he said it is a good fit for many farmers. According to Forsee, the average farm size of farmers who use his service is around 3,000 acres. 

Forsee said customers sign a three-year agreement with the company to lease the equipment, which is necessary to build a relationship with the customer.

“It allows us and the customer to spend enough time together to understand each other's needs,” Forsee said.

Much of MachineryLink's business is generated through its website, but half comes from customers through word-of-mouth. Forsee said they do very little phone solicitation for potential customers.

Once the contracts are signed, MachineryLink delivers the equipment by truck on a specified date and picks up the equipment at a later time when the equipment is no longer needed.

The company is committed to delivering equipment on time because the farmer depends on it, Forsee said.  Weather delays that result in late harvests are never an excuse for a farmer not getting his equipment on time, according to Forsee.

MachineryLink inspects and services its equipment, but major maintenance is done at dealerships. Machinery is tracked through a Global Positioning System.

Forsee said they are always looking for good employees, and they have hired MU graduates in the past. When they are looking to hire news workers, the company expects them to have good communications skills and the ability to work independently.

“We need to hire smart people who ask hard questions,” Forsee said.

Prior to his job with MachineryLink, Forsee worked in fields as diverse as construction equipment and the medical field. He also mentioned that working in areas other than agriculture gave him a different perspective on how business works and has led him to be more knowledgeable in his present job.

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