Mankato Implement is a six store operation which operates in Central and Southern Minnesota. Mankato Implement purchased the John Deere dealership from Chet Willer in 1973 which was located on Front Street in downtown Mankato, Minnesota. Ron Kibble and Wilber Veldman renamed the dealership Veldman’s Inc. The two partners soon after that built the current facility that the company now operates out of and is the headquarters of the corporation. In 1975 Mr. Veldman unexpectedly passed away and Ron Kibble became sole owner and changed the name back to Mankato Implement Inc.
The company had major building expansions in 1981 and 1984 and built warehouse facilities in 1980 and 1983. Steve Kibble, Ron Kibble’s son, joined the company full time in May of 1992 after graduating from Mankato State University. Steve became a minority owner in 1995 and took over as majority owner and CEO/President in 2001.
Mankato Implement acquired the Minnesota Lake business in 1992 and became a two store operation. The acquisitions started happening more briefly with the purchase of Potters in New Ulm, MN in December of 2003, the purchase of Zins Hardware and Implement in Nicollet, MN in November 2007, and most recently the purchase of Erlandson’s in Albert Lea, MN and Kiester, MN in December of 2008.
Mankato Implement currently employs 115 total Full and Part time employees and covers a trade area from Central Minnesota to Northern Iowa. Our business primarily consists of 70% of new and used goods sales, 10% consumer product sales, and 20% parts and service sales. The crops traditionally grown in our trade area are mainly corn and soybeans with very little small grains and some vegetable crops.
Mankato Implement is proud to say they have been in the prestigious John Deere Managers Club for 24 of the last 25 years. Managers Club represents the top 10% of all John Deere dealers in North America and Canada and is measured off dealer profitability, customer satisfaction, market share along with other financial measures.
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