Two longtime Southern dealer associations have merged, with headquarters now in Baton Rouge, La. Officials with the Deep South Equipment Dealers Association and Southern Equipment Dealers Association voted earlier this year to merge and form the Deep Southern Equipment Dealers Association, representing dealer members in Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia and Florida. The new president, CEO and corporate secretary is Vincent Zebeau Jr. By combining into one, the new organization is better positioned to provide more access to competitive programs and dealer services, enhanced training and membership recruitment, and act as a unified voice for manufacturer relations and legislative issues, officials say. Deep South had represented agricultural, industrial, forestry, outdoor power, turf and irrigation equipment dealers in Louisiana and Mississippi since 1944. The Southern Equipment Dealers Association was formed in 1998 from a merger groups that had operated for 54 years and represented dealers in Alabama, Georgia and Florida.
The new association will be overseen by a board of directors consisting of members from the five states represented geographically and by manufacturer lines. Officers are board Chairman Leland Morrison, of M&L Industries in Baton Rouge; Vice Chairman, Jeff Adams, of Scott Truck LLC in Monroe; Treasurer Jeremy Gantt, of Ruston Tractor Inc. in Ruston; and Immediate Past Chairman Ricky Smith, of Smith Tractor Co. in Jay, Fla.
Directors are Ryan Abell, Abell & Son Inc. in Lake Charles, La.; Randy Anderson, Aimtrac in Smithville, Ga.; Mickey Bates, Clanton Tractor & Equipment in Clanton, Ala.; Peggy Franz, Franz Tractor Co., in Bradenton, Fla.; Roger Harrod, Georgia Deer Farm in Roopville, Ga.; Greg Hollier, Sunshine Quality Solutions in Bunkie, La.; Todd Huggins, Mississippi Ag in Yazoo City, Miss.; Lester Killebrew, SunSouth in Abbeville, Ala.; Rob Richter, Sunshine Quality Solutions in Donaldsonville, La.; Bob Rodriguez, George’s Mower Service in Riverview, Fla.; Thomas Soileau, Progressive Tractor Co. in Bunkie; Jerry Toomey, Toomey Equipment Co., in Theodore, Ala.; and Josh Vines, Goldman Equipment Co. in West Monroe, La.