Deere has named Brent Norwood its chief financial officer, moving an experienced internal executive into the role effective May 1, the company announced. Norwood, 44, most recently served as vice president and finance director for Deere’s Construction and Forestry division and for John Deere Power Systems.
A Deere employee for more than two decades, Norwood began his career with the company as a programme manager and has since held a succession of roles across global marketing operations, corporate business development and investor relations. Those varied responsibilities are part of the company rationale for promoting him, with Deere’s chairman and CEO John May describing Norwood as a proven leader with deep financial expertise, strong strategic judgment, and a disciplined approach to capital allocation.
The appointment follows the February departure of long-time finance chief Joshua Jepsen. After Jepsen left, Deere named Ryan Campbell as interim finance chief pending a permanent replacement. Norwood will assume full CFO responsibilities from May 1, replacing the interim arrangement.
The company has faced headwinds tied to President Donald Trump’s tariffs on imported raw materials, a policy cited as affecting several large U.S. industrial firms including Deere. Some of those tariffs were ruled unconstitutional by the Supreme Court in February, a development the company referenced in discussing the broader operating environment.
Deere is also preparing to release its second-quarter earnings later this month, a near-term reporting event that will be the first full quarter financial update since the executive change was announced.
Summary
Brent Norwood, a 44-year-old Deere veteran with more than 20 years at the company, will become Deere’s chief financial officer on May 1 after serving as vice president and finance director for Construction and Forestry and John Deere Power Systems. He replaces Joshua Jepsen, who left in February, and follows an interim stewardship by Ryan Campbell. Deere continues to contend with tariff-related pressures and will report second-quarter results later this month.