For our team of specialists, bragging rights aren’t earned by how many pieces of
equipment we sell. Our success isn’t measured by the size of the invoice, but by
the look on a customer’s face when they’ve found just what they wanted and more.
And when we see them walk back through our door for more—that’s when we know we’ve
done our job right. In keeping with the Highland Tractor spirit, we take pride in
everything we do both on and off the job. Click on our names to read more about
us.
Originally from the mountains of Southwest Virginia, Sid graduated from Virginia
Tech University. After graduating, he went to work for John Deere & Company in the
fledgling Construction and Forestry division. In 1974, he came face-to-face with
an opportunity he couldn’t pass up: He purchased a dealership in Ocala. Sid still
comes to work every day as excited as he was on the day he started. He still lives
in Ocala with his wife, Carolyn, and they enjoy spending time at the beach in St
Augustine, where they love fishing and boating with their grandchildren. He’s proud
of the growth Highland Tractor has been able to achieve over the years, and he looks
forward to what the future holds for his family as the business continues to grow
in Central Florida.
This native Ohio boy was born the “baby” of the family, having grown up with three older
brothers and three older sisters. Gary’s been involved in a John Deere Dealership since 1983
and in the position as COO for over 20 years. He prides himself on continuous improvement
and attainment of dealership financial and operating benchmarks. He made his way to Tampa
when a basketball scholarship was thrown his way and college was where he met the future
Mrs. Coffman, now a behavior specialist that works with autistic and special needs children.
Together they have two sons, Josh and Jake. When Gary’s not working, he’s more than likely
doing community service, or any one of his many hobbies, which include following his son’s
career, Biblical studies, diving and snorkeling.
Born and raised in exotic Panama, Gabriel Isaacs joined Highland Tractor in January
2008. He enjoys the camaraderie that comes with being a Highland employee—and he
gets a rush from a job well done. Before entering the industry, Gabriel worked in
the academic field, teaching business management courses. He also worked in the
service and retail industries as part of operational management. This smarty-pants
has earned himself a Master of Science in Engineering Management, an MBA and a PhD
in Business Management with an emphasis in Strategic Planning and International
Business. When he’s not at work, he spends time with his wife, Christy, traveling
and scuba diving.
Stephanie has been in human resources for the last eight years. Before that, she
worked as director of retail for a ladies clothing manufacture in New York City.
A real people person, Stephanie enjoys interacting with employees and finding the
best fit to move Highland forward. She likes helping employees utilize their strengths
and overcome their weaknesses. Her philosophy: if employees are happy, it’ll show
in their performance, and that keeps Highland’s customers happy. She has been married
for almost 12 years and has two children. She spends most of her free time with
her family, and at her other job as PTO President for Virgil Mills Elementary school.
Having grown up in and around a large outdoor power equipment dealership, it’s no
wonder Dan’s been dreaming about and doodling tractors for as long as he can remember.
While his first grade drawings of Gravely garden tractors didn’t win any art shows,
they did foresee a career that’s still going strong. After working in the service
and parts department, his Uncle gave him the chance of a lifetime—the chance to
put his dream to the test. You could say he never looked back. Since 1993, Dan’s
either been selling equipment or working with dealers or manufactures to market
and advertise it. A Florida boy, Dan now lives in Clearwater with his wife, three
boys and two dogs. When he’s not competing in sales, he’s competing (though he’s
happy just to finish) in triathlons. He also enjoys fishing, traveling and playing
cards.
Born in Kentucky, Kerry moved to Florida in 1992. His experience in the equipment
business spans more than 30 years, and he takes pride in overcoming the challenges
he faces in his job—like managing and keeping the right inventory at all times.
He and his wife, Milissa, have two teenagers who are very active in sports which
keeps him busy while away from work, and when Kerry isn’t busy making his customer’s
lives easier, he likes fishing, hunting and enjoying the great outdoors.
This University of Florida graduate has been a Highland Tractor employee for two
years. Married with two boys, Dad/Coach Tim enjoys coaching his sons’ basketball
and flag football teams (an undefeated record speaks for itself). He received his
MBA from Webster University, and enjoys exploring psychology, philosophy and religion.
Tim loves all sports, especially basketball and mountain biking.
Florida-born and raised, Ryan has been working with John Deere dealers for 20 years.
His favorite part of the job is helping customers find solutions. When he’s not
being a problem solver in the office, he’s probably spending time with his beautiful
wife, Amy and his three equally beautiful daughters—either that or he’s taking advantage
of some valuable man-time by saltwater flats fishing whenever he can. He thrives
on all kinds of competition, from sports and games, to just about anything that
includes the possibility of winning.
David Varner has been involved with Highland Tractor since the late 70’s in various
positions throughout the company. He currently works in the Ocala branch in a utility
role providing support to the front office.
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