Over 50 students and professionals of the Arizona State University student chapter and the Desert Southwest NAMA Chapter met January 25th to hear Jim Irwin, recently retired vice president of North American agricultural business for Case IH. The meeting was hosted by the student chapter at the agribusiness center on the ASU East Campus. Jim encouraged the attendees to keep a strong customer focus, citing that the “purpose of business is to acquire and maintain customers.” He noted that the merger of Case and New Holland, into CNH, Inc., resulted in gaining market share and gained the recognition for the highest customer satisfaction ever for the company.

Jim also taught that “execution beats strategy.” He was quick to note that strategy is very important, but that no matter how powerful the strategy, poor execution will block success. Looking forward, Jim emphasized that companies must continue to “think global,” and that technology will continue to play a key role. Successful companies will “know their customers better than the customers know themselves,” concluded Irwin. Jim Irwin was honored as the 2005 Agribusiness Leader of the Year at the NAMA Agri-Marketing Conference last April.

The following day, NAMA representatives Lee Dueringer, president of the Desert Southwest NAMA Chapter; Lucia Bond Konrath, chapter membership chair; and Eldon White, NAMA Executive Vice President, met with students at the University of Arizona in Tucson to explore starting a student chapter at that university.