John Deere
Rewarding Our Top Experts
The John Deere Fellows Program is the highest level of individual recognition to employees who have contributed to John Deere's success through deep expertise in their functional areas, demonstrated leadership, and their reputation inside and outside the company.
At John Deere, we recognize and celebrate our innovative thinkers, leaders, and doers who steer us into the future and, with a shared higher purpose, enable lives to leap forward.
2024 Fellow Award Winners
Dr. Bradley W. Van De Woestyne
Agronomic Sciences Fellow
Van De Woestyne focuses on eliminating a grower's biggest headache — ambiguity — leveraging agronomy to maximize yields.
Dr. Donald Harby
Engineering Data Scientist Fellow
Harby conducts complex simulations leveraging both machine learning and AI. His team has a profound impact on the equipment John Deere manufactures today.
Dr. Sönke Holst
Strategic Intellectual Property Fellow
Holst's intellectual property defense allows Deere to maintain the quality of its inventions, ultimately increasing the value of Deere’s patent portfolio.
Dr. Marko T. Paakkunainen
Forestry Vehicle Tech Fellow
Paakkunainen, recognized as a technical expert in the industry, has focused on cut-to-length (CTL) machines to reach maximum value for each tree harvested.
Sébastien Lhopital
Information Technology Fellow
By fostering a culture of innovation and continuous improvement, Lhopital ensures that John Deere stays ahead of the rapid pace of technological change.
Last Year's Winners
2023 Fellows
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Dave Lemm
Recognized as a Structural Design & Analysis Fellow, he understands the disruption failure can cause and works to ensure Deere quality and reliability.
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Goutam Mohapatra
The Materials Engineering Analytics Fellow recipient utilizes artificial intelligence and machine learning to turn the puzzle pieces of production into world-class products.
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Shawn Phillips
Having already created one of the company’s most impactful manufacturing tools, our Factory Automation Fellow now looks to advance the technology in our factories.
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Mike Waldo
As a Software Engineering Fellow, he makes the invisible a powerful and productive solution for our customers and their businesses.