Joel Howard
Greenbush,MN
Summary
I have been involved in Agriculture my entire life in one capacity or another. I grew up on a farm in Northwest Minnesota, worked on the farm from the age of 13. I have worked throughout the Red River Valley from Fargo, ND to Pembina, ND in different capacities for a variety of farmers and ag operations. I owned and operated a 3000 acre Farm and Ranch with 300 Cow/Calf pairs through the end of 2017. I have been exposed to the ever rapidly evolving business that is agriculture. I have seen both the good and the bad, the boom and the bust. Agriculture is my heart and dirt is the blood. It is my passion. I pride myself on responsibility and leadership by example. I have great pride in my ability to build things from the ground up with a dedication to maintaining high standards. Whether this be compliance, leadership, service, or sales objectives; my past experience and knowledge has led me to this point. I am a reliable professional, dedicated to overcoming any challenge and supporting all business needs and I specialize in creating first rate teams. I want the position, the opportunity to build that team.
Overview
6
6
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
Parts Sales Associate
True North Equipment
Thief River Falls, MN
05.2023 - Current
- Leading parts salesman for fiscal year 2024, with over 2.5 million in sales.
- Provided industry leading customer service and support in the parts department, including answering questions and resolving issues.
- Greeted customers upon arrival to assess their needs and provide assistance.
- Assisted with inventory management by stocking shelves, organizing items, and restocking supplies as needed.
- Verified accuracy of shipments received against invoices or purchase orders before releasing to customer.
- Helped to reimplement cycle counts to ensure accurate inventory levels in the system.
- Provided exceptional customer service, resulting in repeat business and positive word-of-mouth referrals.
- Researched availability of requested parts from suppliers when necessary.
- Reached out to vendors outside usual network to find parts not available from traditional sources.
- Initiated returns or exchanges of defective or incorrect items promptly and courteously.
- Increased parts sales by effectively recommending appropriate products to customers based on their specific needs.
- Collaborated with other departments within the organization to ensure smooth operations.
- Operated point of sales and parts lookup computer systems.
Parts Sales Associate
True North Equipment
Thief River Falls, MN
05.2023 - Current
- Leading parts salesman for fiscal year 2024, with over 2.5 million in sales.
- Provided industry leading customer service and support in the parts department, including answering questions and resolving issues.
- Greeted customers upon arrival to assess their needs and provide assistance.
- Assisted with inventory management by stocking shelves, organizing items, and restocking supplies as needed.
- Processed incoming orders for parts from customers accurately and efficiently.
- Verified accuracy of shipments received against invoices or purchase orders before releasing to customer.
- Helped to reimplement cycle counts to ensure accurate inventory levels in the system.
- Provided exceptional customer service, resulting in repeat business and positive word-of-mouth referrals.
- Researched availability of requested parts from suppliers when necessary.
- Reached out to vendors outside usual network to find parts not available from traditional sources.
- Initiated returns or exchanges of defective or incorrect items promptly and courteously.
- Increased parts sales by effectively recommending appropriate products to customers based on their specific needs.
- Collaborated with other departments within the organization to ensure smooth operations.
- Operated point of sales and parts lookup computer systems.
Inventory Manager
Digi-Key
Thief River Falls, MN
03.2023 - 05.2024
- Analyzed current processes and identified areas of improvement for better efficiency in the inventory management process for specific vendors.
- Monitored supplier performance to ensure orders were fulfilled on time and accurately according to customer requirements.
- Conducted reviews of purchasing policies and procedures to ensure accuracy in ordering, delivery timelines, invoicing.
- Negotiated contracts with vendors to ensure cost-effectiveness and adherence to company policies.
- Created reports on inventory levels, trends, costs, deliveries. for upper management review.
- Established effective relationships with suppliers to ensure optimal service at competitive prices.
- Identified discrepancies between physical counts and computer records; investigated causes and took corrective action as needed.
- Tracked shipments from vendors for prompt resolution of any discrepancies or delays encountered during transit or delivery.
- Resolved issues related to receiving errors such as incorrect quantities or missing items.
- Analyzed stock levels and processes to predict inventory problems and formulate solutions.
- Managed day-to-day logistics operations, monitoring incoming deliveries and overseeing individualized company accounts.
Farm Manager
Kukowski Seed Farm
Strathcona, MN
09.2018 - 01.2024
- Coordinated the maintenance of farm equipment, machinery, buildings, fences, and other infrastructure.
- Developed and implemented a crop rotation plan to optimize soil fertility and yield.
- Supervised planting, cultivating, harvesting, storage, and marketing activities for all crops.
- Conducted research into new varieties of plants that may be beneficial for the farm.
- Inspected fields regularly to ensure proper fertilization levels are maintained.
- Inspected equipment and facilities to recommend service or repairs.
- Delegated tasks to seasonal workers and supervised completion of duties and responsibilities.
- Planned harvest and planting schedules.
- Increased farm productivity by introducing modern farming practices and equipment upgrades.
- Managed farm staff efficiently, providing training and guidance for optimal performance.
- Oversaw the maintenance of farm machinery, resulting in reduced downtime due to repairs or malfunctions.
- Developed long-term plans for crop rotation, soil management, and sustainable farming practices to maintain soil fertility and prevent erosion.
Receiving Associate
Digi-Key
Thief River Falls, MN
10.2022 - 03.2023
- Received incoming shipments and verified contents against purchase orders, packing slips and invoices.
- Operated material handling equipment to move pallets of merchandise from receiving area to storage locations.
- Inspected goods for damages or defects, reported issues to supervisor and resolved discrepancies with suppliers.
- Maintained records of all incoming products, including quantity received and location in warehouse.
- Unloaded trucks manually or using a hand truck or dolly when necessary.
- Updated computerized tracking systems with new stock information such as quantity received, unit cost and total value of shipment.
- Verified accuracy of shipping documents such as bills of lading, packing lists and invoices.
- Ensured compliance with safety regulations while working in the receiving area.
Education
Bachelor of Science - Environmental Biology
Concordia College
Moorhead, MN12-2001
Skills
- Team Collaboration
- Upselling Strategies
- Customer Relationship Building
- Quick Learner
- Goal Oriented
- Customer Service
- Leadership Skills
- Hardworking / Lead by Example
- Detail Oriented
- Multitasker
- Farm operations
- Customer relationship building
- Upselling strategies
Accomplishments
- Improved store annual parts sales by [20.2]%.
- Company leading direct sales of 2.5 million dollars.
Affiliations
- I am an avid Garden enthusiast
- I am a volunteer Wrestling Coach
- Ice Fishing
- Big Game hunting
- Small Upland Bird Hunter
Certification
- Forklift and Telehandler Operator
- Conceal and Carry
- Tactical Weapons Training
Languages
English
Professional
Spanish
Elementary
Education and Training
other
Timeline
Parts Sales Associate
True North Equipment
05.2023 - Current
Parts Sales Associate
True North Equipment
05.2023 - Current
Inventory Manager
Digi-Key
03.2023 - 05.2024
Receiving Associate
Digi-Key
10.2022 - 03.2023
Farm Manager
Kukowski Seed Farm
09.2018 - 01.2024
Bachelor of Science - Environmental Biology
Concordia College