On Wednesday, December 11th, Wayne County CEO students had the opportunity to meet with Brandon Irwin and Treavor Pasley at Sydenstricker Nobbe in Wayne City, Illinois. Brandon prepared a presentation highlighting the history of John Deere and the longstanding partnership between the Sydenstricker and Nobbe families.

In addition to farm equipment sales, Sydenstricker Nobbe provides equipment parts and service to support its customers. Students were given a tour of the new facility and gained insight into the extensive inventory maintained to meet customer service needs. They also had the opportunity to observe the service department and sales counter, offering a well-rounded look at daily operations.

During the discussion, students asked how the current White House administration’s use of tariffs is impacting production and sales. Brandon and Treavor explained that the issue is complex. While they understand the intent behind tariffs, they shared that pricing has been negatively affected, leading to challenging — and often difficult — conversations with customers.

We thank Brandon and Treavor for their time and hospitality and wish the organization continued success in 2026.