KEN KAY – AGLAND

From a blacksmith shop on 50^th Street (downtown), to one of the largest industries in Lloydminster – that is the John Deere business.  There has been a John Deere dealership in Lloydminster since approximately 1920.  Many names will be remembered in connection with John Deere.  Some of those are Matt Taylor, J. Sloan, W. Penson, Co-op Lumber, J. Davis, Paul Devrome and later John Tingley.


Ken Kay, born at Sudbury, Ontario, came to Unity with his family as a one-year-old, and moved to the Blackfoot area in 1947.  Tom Hobbs did custom hauling at that time, and Ken worked for him in his spare time shoveling goal and grain.  In grade nine, Ken went to live with John and Kay Tingley and worked on the farm after school and on weekends.  This continued through high school, although he stayed in the dorm in Kitscoty during the week, as there were no school buses.  After high school, Ken worked at the Toronto Dominion bank for a winter and a couple of summers for Tom Hobbs.  In 1957 John Tingley bought the John Deere dealership from Paul Devrome, and Ken began working there in 1959.  Ken and Bert Dyce soon became partners with John.  With the retirement of Dyce and Tingley, by 1977, Ken and his brother Chuck Kay took over the business.  In 1993 Chuck retired.  Agland has since bought the Vermilion and St. Paul branches and has several co-owners.


In 1997 Agland was chosen “Dealer of the Year” by the Implement Dealers Association of Western Canada.  This award from one’s competition is a very prestigious award, based on business dealings with the customers, manufacturers and fellow dealers.  Over the last twenty years, this Lloydminster business has consistently placed among the top fifteen dealerships in Canada.  This is due to non other than Ken Kay, whose business ethic is to please the customer at all costs.  This same this has been instilled in his many employees.  Customers are more than happy to relay stories of combines arriving unbidden to help finish a late harvest.  Employees at Agland are long term because they know they couldn’t find a better boss.  Agland, its management, and staff are great ambassadors for the city of Lloydminster.