KANSAS CITY, Mo. — DATE — The Equipment Dealers Foundation (EDF), the 501(c)(3) charitable affiliate of the North American Equipment Dealers Association (NAEDA), today announced the recipients of its 2026 scholarship awards. This year’s recipients are sponsored by NAEDA member dealerships and will receive funding to support education and training for careers in the equipment industry.
Recipients are pursuing study in fields including diesel and heavy equipment technology, agricultural technology, and agribusiness, at technical colleges, community colleges, and universities across the country. Several are enrolled in manufacturer-affiliated training programs, including the CAT ThinkBIG Program, the John Deere Ag Tech Program, and the NAEDA Technician Training Program at Oklahoma State University Institute of Technology (OSUIT).
These scholarships represent our industry’s investment in the technicians, service professionals, and future leaders who will keep America’s farms, construction sites, and communities running,” said Tom Nobbe, Chair of the Board of Directors for the Equipment Dealers Foundation. “We are proud to support these students as they build careers alongside the dealerships that first opened the door for them.”
The EDF scholarship program is made possible entirely through the generosity of donors, including NAEDA member dealerships, manufacturers, and industry partners who contribute to the Foundation each year. Their ongoing support allows EDF to invest directly in the next generation of equipment industry talent.
Congratulations to:
Braden Adams — Foley Equipment Company (Kansas City, MO)
Eli Allen — Foley Equipment Trucking Rebuild Center (Kansas City, MO)
Luke Charlton — Havana Tractor (Havana, IL)
Bryson Crotinger — Foley Equipment (Wichita, KS)
Luke Hall — Topeka New Holland Inc. (Topeka, IN)
Matthew Hiett Hamilton — Wade Incorporated (Greenwood, MS)
Logan Janda — P&K Equipment, Inc. (Enid, OK)
Grant Kuntz — Central Plains Equipment (Holyoke, CO)
Bryar Leach — Foley Equipment Company (Sedalia, MO)
Juan Lopez — Wade Incorporated (Greenwood, MS)
Tyler Middleton — Wade Incorporated (Greenwood, MS)
Jackson Parker — Wade Incorporated (Greenwood, MS)
Luke Patrick — Wade Incorporated (Greenwood, MS)
Lexus Petersilie — Foley Equipment Company (Dodge City, KS)
Kadin Pickard — Foley Equipment Company (Kansas City, MO)
Hailey Praus — West Plains Inc. (Dickinson, ND)
Glen Richie — Union Hill Sales and Service (Union Hill, IL)
Ward Rodgers — Wade Incorporated (Greenwood, MS)
Gabriel Rojas Bautista — Foley Equipment Company (Kansas City, MO)
Owen Rousselle — Foley Equipment (Chanute, KS)
Jorgan Schiltz — Oakley Ag Center LLC (Oakley, KS)
Joshua Ward — Wade Incorporated (Greenwood, MS)
About the Equipment Dealers Foundation
The Equipment Dealers Foundation is the 501(c)(3) charitable affiliate of the North American Equipment Dealers Association (NAEDA). The mission of the Foundation is to strengthen and sustain the future of the industry by investing in its people. Through workforce development, industry-specific education, and scholarship support, we empower technicians, dealership staff, and future professionals with the skills, training, and opportunities needed to build successful careers.
