Tony Thelen is Director, Operations, John Deere Intelligent Solutions Group (ISG), a position he has held since June 2010. ISG is responsible for designing, developing, delivering and supporting integrated technology solutions for John Deere agricultural and construction equipment worldwide. This organization includes operations in Torrance, CA, Kaiserslautern, Germany, and Urbhandale, IA. ISG delivers and supports a wide range of agricultural equipment capabilities under the GreenStar™ product line, including data collection such as yield monitoring, automated guidance, implement control, variable rate input application, and fleet management. Those capabilities improve productivity in major crop production activites of field preparation, planting and seeding, nutrient application and harvesting.

Thelen joined Deere & Company in 16 May, 1988. Before taking up his current rol, Thelen was a member of Deere’s strategic marketing team, which is responsible for product line strategy and overseeing the product development portfolio. Prior to that assignement he was marketing manager for two major tractor product lines, including Deere’s industry leading large row crop tractors. Thelen has worked most of his career at Deere in the marketing area including stints in the field organization managing dealer relationships and a marketing role in a predecessor of ISG. In 1992 he served as a manufacturing supervisor at Deere’s flagship Waterloo tractor factory.

Thelen has a chemical engineering degree from Iowa State University and an MBA from the University of Northern Iowa.