Past Projects and Services
Additional Information
Alan VanNahmen is a high plains wheat farm native of Spearville, Kansas and a graduate of Kansas State University; degree in Mechanical Engineering Technology.
His professional career began with John Deere Harvester Works (Moline), Deere Kansas City branch, and JD Horicon WI. Responsibilities included Quality Engineering, Marketing, Sales, Service, Product Development and R&D.
Alan then worked for Caterpillar Ag Products division and German based Claas OHG including harvest research in the US, Canada, Europe, Russia, China, and Australia.
His involvement with new business launches includes his own Farm Buddy Co.(1992-) , Agri-Technology LP, XBR2 Bi-Rotor® combine (1992-95), LandLogo® LLC (2003- ), MachineryLink Inc. (2003 – 2004), Claas Caterpillar Omaha LP (1996- 2002), Glenvar Bale Direct™ Pty. Ltd.(2003-present), Kopper Kutter LLC ARRO™ head development (2015 – Present) , RollBedder LLC (2019 - Present)
Articles –
Huck Boyd Institute recognizes Kansans for Business, Entrepreneurship and Service
MANHATTAN, Kan. – Leaders in agribusiness, the arts, diversity, entrepreneurship, manufacturing, local foods and tourism are being recognized by K-State’s Huck Boyd National Institute for Rural Development as Leaders of the Year for 2017.
“These leading Kansans should be commended for their innovative ideas and service to rural communities,” said Mike James of Phillipsburg, Chair of the Board of Directors of the Huck Boyd National Institute for Rural Development.
This year’s award categories and winners include:
Agribusiness - Alan VanNahmen, Farm Buddy, Kansas/Indiana
TAlan VanNahmen grew up on a family farm in southwest Kansas where one of his tasks was driving the combine during harvest time. After studying at K-State, he embarked on an international career developing harvesting equipment with John Deere and Claas. As he saw farmers trying to present their innovative equipment ideas to major manufacturers, he thought that those farmers needed a friend to help them. In 1991, he founded a company called Farm Buddy to assist farmers with product design and development. One of his early projects included Product Development and Marketing Manager for Agri-Technologies LP which was designing, building and marketing the XBR2 Bi-Rotor combine in 1992 – 1995. He now serves as a consultant for various farmers and agribusinesses, including those who are developing the Kopper Kutter LLC conversion kits call ARRO – Alternate Rotary Rowcrop Option conversion kits for Cornheads so they can be used as a harvesting system for grain sorghum.
According to industry sources, there is no one in the country who knows more about grain harvesting systems than Alan VanNahmen.
The 2017 Huck Boyd Leaders of the Year winners were selected by entrepreneurship students in K-State’s College of Business. Each year the Huck Boyd Institute selects its leaders of the year from among those featured on its weekly Kansas Profile radio program and column during the previous 12 months. Kansas Profile is distributed by the K-State Radio Network and K-State Research and Extension News Media Services to radio stations and newspapers state-wide.
The Huck Boyd Institute is a public/private partnership between K-State Research and Extension and the Huck Boyd Foundation. The Foundation office is at the Huck Boyd Community Center in Phillipsburg. The Institute office is at Kansas State University in Manhattan.
K-State Research and Extension is a short name for the Kansas State University Agricultural Experiment Station and Cooperative Extension Service, a program designed to generate and distribute useful knowledge for the well-being of Kansans. Supported by county, state, federal and private funds, the program has county Extension offices, experiment fields, area Extension offices and regional research centers statewide. Its headquarters is on the K-State campus, Manhattan.
Story by: Ron Wilson, Huck Boyd Institute Director 785-532-7690 or rwilson@ksu.edu
Executive profiles –
