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D&F Equipment Sales, Inc., a poultry, meat, and prepared foods industries equipment manufacturer and engineering supplier with headquarters in Crossville, Alabama, and another location in Springdale, Arkansas, announces the promotion of Adam Walker to Senior Vice President and the transition of Joey Knott to Vice President of Service & Installation. Both newly created roles recognize long-term leaders of the company whose stewardship will be monumental as the company looks toward a momentous milestone anniversary within the next 18 months.
“Adam and Joey are two of my most-trusted, long-term members of my leadership team,” stated Dawn Knox, CEO/President of D&F Equipment Sales, Inc. “There are no better people to help grow the company than these two men.”
Nearly 20 years ago, Walker joined the D&F team in its parts department as a belt assembler where he first learned to prepare parts for upcoming jobs. He quicky moved into the other departments as a material handler for steel products and a laborer in the laser department. His work ethic and strong leadership skills garnered attention, and he was given an opportunity to grow the sales of the laser department, ultimately leading to his promotion to Laser Department General Manager. In 2010, Walker moved to Arkansas as the new General Manager of the Arkansas location where he implemented an ERP (enterprise resource planning) system to improve job costing and tracking and therefore improving profitability for the company. It was here that Walker learned the power of quality team members working together for a common goal.
“Serving as GM in Arkansas taught me that having the right people in the right role can transform outcomes,” explained Walker. “Quality individual team members don’t just complete tasks, they elevate the entire team’s performance.”
Building on the team’s success in Arkansas, Walker moved back to Alabama in 2013 to become the Director of Operations & Systems. He continued to implement inventory control, procurement processes, and job costing methods in this role where he also became a valuable communication coordinator between production, accounting, and the executive leadership team. Further rounding out his vast experience within D&F, Walker assumed the role of Director of Accounting & Operations in 2016. It is in this role that he implemented accounting best practices, improved reporting accuracy and timeliness, focused on improved tax strategies, and ultimately saved the company millions of dollars annually.
Recognizing his strengths and value to the company, Walker was promoted in 2020 to Vice President of Operations & Administration.
“As Adam has transitioned through various leadership roles within the company, he has been instrumental in improving our processes and our profitability,” said Knox. “He consistently and continually leads us in a positive direction, positioning us for growth to come.”
It is with this statement in mind that Knox announces Walker’s promotion to Senior Vice President, effectively serving as a leadership partner to help her lead the company through a strategic growth plan, celebrating over 38 years of success and looking towards a monumental 40 years in business.
“I am extremely humbled and excited about this opportunity,” expressed Walker. “To have the opportunity to help lead a company like D&F who has the foundation it does with the quality of people it has and the seniority of leadership in place is incredibly humbling and such an honor. I am excited to continue growing the company and its people. We will continue growing PartsXpress® while also investing in the future of D&F and its employees, so together as a family of companies, we can improve the quality of lives for our team members, add success to the company, and ultimately allow all of us to invest in the communities where we live and work.”
Investing in others doesn’t stop with employees and communities for D&F. As it has from its founding, D&F continues to do “Whatever it Takes” to meet the needs of its customer base. Just as Larry Fortenberry, Founder of D&F Equipment Sales, established the company to address the reported struggles plants were facing in not being able to get anyone to service the equipment which affected the productivity of the plant, the D&F team today hears the same struggles from its customers and is committed to meeting that need through a renewed focus on service and installation for food processing plants.
Joey KnottD&F Equipment Sales
“My vision is to utilize the existing team and build on what D&F has to offer,” stated Knott. “There’s no limit to what a person can do here. If you come young and ready to put the effort into the work, you can reap the rewards.”
No one knows this better than Knott. This 18-year-old young man who rode in a car with five other men to job sites to get the job done quickly stepped into leadership, supervising his first new plant install over 35 years ago. From there he continued to learn the value of building relationships with both the customers and the OEMs as he moved from Installation Supervision to Assistant Service Manager and then Service & Installation Manager. He has helped grow a team of 35 men to well more than 100 men ready to do “Whatever it Takes” on the job site to meet the needs of the customer.
“As we sought ways to grow our service and installation team and better serve the needs of our processing plant customers, we found it crucial to create a leadership position focused solely on service and installation,” stated Knox. “Who could better fill that role than a man who has relationships throughout the industry and who knows how to get the job done in a short amount of time without sacrificing quality work? We are grateful for Joey and the well-over 35 years of experience he brings to this leadership role.”
Creating the role VP of Service & Installation allows Knott, a master of the efficient and successful quick- turn installations required throughout the industry, to focus on helping the company grow its services and meet the installation needs throughout the industry. Further rounding out the leadership team, additional roles of VP of Sales and VP of Operations will be added in the coming months. With the strong leadership team of three VPs and his journey from belt assembler to various departments and divisions of the company, Walker has a unique perspective and expertise to lead the company as the new Senior Vice President towards a milestone anniversary within the next 18 months.
“When I was in Arkansas, I faced projects where the success fully hinged on the people around me,” said Walker. “The projects would require quick problem solving, adaptability, strong communication, and experience that allowed each team member to showcase unique abilities. Whether it was technical expertise, leadership under pressure, or the ability to collaborate, by leaning on each person’s strengths, we not only overcame challenges but exceeded expectations. It is no different for us as a company today. We are a varied and strong leadership team ready to overcome challenges and exceed customer expectations.”
