FFA Alumna Danielle Waterworth of Racine, Wis., enjoys a successful career with Case New Holland (CNH). We caught up with Waterworth about her career path and work today, and how FFA helped prepare her for success.
Q: What does your job entail as a corporate representative for CNH?
A: I have two roles within the parts and service organization of our agriculture business. First, I’m the vice president for North America ag dealer and customer support, so I help dealers with back-office needs such as product support, training, warranty, technician recruitment, parts support and more.
My second role is in global ag services and maintenance development. I strategically look at how we can use technology in our machines to provide better service for our customers. We build tools that enable our dealers to prioritize uptime for our customers and help us sell products like maintenance plans.
Q: What FFA chapter were you a member of?
A: I grew up in Bluffs, Ill., a town of about 700. I was a member of the Bluffs FFA Chapter from 1994 until 1998, when I graduated. I was also a collegiate FFA member.
Q: What did your career path look like?
A: I majored in ag finance at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. Outside of one year in a commercial banking role, I’ve been at CNH for 20 years, with the first 13 years being specifically focused on using my college major. It has evolved from there with roles in sales, service and technology.
Q: How did FFA prepare you for your current career?
A: My first exposure to profit and loss and a balance sheet was through my FFA supervised agricultural experiences (SAEs). This exposed me to the business side of agriculture, and approaching my dairy goat and swine projects from a business perspective was incredibly interesting to me.
FFA also exposed me to vital skills such as public speaking, working in teams and project management. I was constantly pushed to be involved and stay busy, which has helped make for a successful career.
Q: How are you still involved and connected with FFA today?
A: Two years ago, I retired from serving on the Wisconsin FFA Foundation Board. Nationally, I sit on the FFA Alumni and Supporters Advisory Committee as a corporate chapter representative.
I’m the site lead for our CNH FFA Alumni and Supporters Chapter, so I’m involved with our corporate chapter. I also stay involved with our local Union Grove FFA Chapter, which my two daughters will be members of when they’re a bit older.
