The Association of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM) has named Curt Blades as senior vice president, AG services, replacing Charlie O’Brien, who announced his retirement from AEM earlier this year.

Blades will be responsible for strategic direction of agriculture programs and services for the AEM membership, and will serve as primary liaison with ag-specific industry organizations, customer groups and government agencies, both in North America and worldwide.
He replaces Charlie O’Brien, who announced his retirement from AEM earlier this year.

“We are very pleased to welcome Curt to the AEM team and look forward to the expertise and enthusiasm he brings,” said AEM President Dennis Slater.

Blades has been working for Meredith Corporation since 2002, most recently as Group Business Development Director, and he has been very active in the National Agri-Marketing Association, Agribusinesss Education Foundation and Agriculture Council of America. We’ve known Curt since he was an intern at Brownfield Network while studying at the University of Missouri to get his bachelor’s degree in agricultural economics. He also holds a master’s degree in agribusiness from Kansas State and grew up on a 5,000-acre farm in northeast Missouri.

Stay tuned for an interview with Curt later today.