2 John Deere dealerships merging to form Prairie State Tractor

Two family-owned and operated John Deere dealerships will merge in January.

Holland & Sons Inc. and Kelly Sauder Rupiper Equipment LLC announced Wednesday they will join into an eight-location John Deere dealer group across North Central Illinois. The merger aims to enhance each entity’s ability to serve homeowners, landscapers and farmers, company officials stated in a news release.

The new organization will operate as Prairie State Tractor LLC and employ more than 200 people. Prairie State Tractor will be the John Deere dealer for the territory as far west as the Mississippi River, extending up to the Wisconsin border and down into Central Illinois.

Dealerships will continue to operate out of Mendota, Streator, Princeton, Pontiac, Dixon, Freeport, Geneseo and Lacon. The Mendota location will serve as the corporate headquarters.

“Expanding our reach in today’s agricultural world is essential,” Todd Holland, board chairman and inventory manager for Prairie State Tractor, said in a news release. “By combining our resources, we can offer a more expansive equipment selection and product offerings. Customers in our area are blessed with some of the best agricultural land in the world, and we are excited to grow with them.”

Prairie State Tractor CEO Chris Rupiper said customers will continue to see employees they have worked with in the past, with the addition of access to more focused specialists.

“We have like-minded owners and operations; it made perfect sense to take the next step and come together as a dealer group,” Rupiper said. “We may be operating under a different name, but our reputation for strong customer service remains the same. We remain committed to ensuring our customers continue to receive the same support and service they have become accustomed to for generations.”

New company leadership will consist of familiar names and faces. In addition to Chris Rupiper and Todd Holland, the leadership team will include Tony Morrow, chief financial officer; Zack Sauder, Eastern Region sales manager; Ty Holland, Western Region sales manager; Matt Aeschleman, used equipment manager; Paul Kelly, human resources manager; Matt Holland, marketing manager; Klint Rice, small tractor/turf manager; Brett Dewey, aftermarket manager; and Jonathan Koch, integrated solutions manager.

For more information, visit ksrequipment.com and hollandandsons.com.