Olney, TX – Agricultural aircraft manufacturer Air Tractor, Inc. announced today the appointment of Jeremy Prather as its new Chief Financial Officer (CFO). Prather will serve as a financial and strategic business advisor to the company president and the Air Tractor leadership team.
“We are thrilled to welcome Jeremy to Air Tractor, where he will help inform and guide our business operations,” said Jim Hirsch, President of Air Tractor. “His considerable and wide-ranging financial experience among industry leading brands is an ideal fit for Air Tractor as we look forward to continuing our production and growth plans.”
Effective September 1, 2020, Prather will take over as CFO and oversee the company’s financial planning, business planning, compliance, process control, cash flow, and financial reporting. He will also supervise the company’s global finance team.
Prather added “I am very excited to join the Air Tractor team. After watching YouTube videos on the company and founder Leland Snow, I was hooked. I loved the story. After the first meeting with Jim, I loved the vision. I look forward to our future together.”
Prather has a long track record in finance, predominantly in the manufacturing industry including at a John Deere Dealership, Caterpillar and ThyssenKrupp Elevator. His experience includes management of domestic and international business operations, sales, customer service, IT, finance, logistics and process improvement. He served as CFO at ThyssenKrupp Americas Business Unit’s Manufacturing and R&D divisions which included Brazil, a growing market for Air Tractor. He also served as CFO at Binswanger Glass, a branch-based business headquartered in Memphis, TN.
He is an alumnus of the University of North Alabama where he earned his Bachelor of Science in Accounting as well as his Master of Business Administration in New Venture Management.
Prather will replace retiring Vice President of Finance David Ickert. “During his tenure, David’s contributions have added tremendous value to Air Tractor,” said Hirsch. “We thank David for his 31 years of dedication to the growth of this company.” Ickert will stay through the end of the year to facilitate the transition.
About Air Tractor
At its Olney, Texas manufacturing facilities, Air Tractor produces a line of aircraft that includes 400, 500, 600, and 800-gallon capacity airplanes powered by Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6 turboprop engines. The airplanes are used for agricultural aerial application, firefighting, narcotic crop eradication, fuel hauling, fighting locust plagues, and cleaning oil spills in coastal waters. From North, South, and Central America, to Australia, Indonesia, and China to Spain, Italy, Croatia, and Africa, Air Tractor aircraft can be found working in more than 30 countries around the world and are supported by a global network of Air Tractor dealers. More information can be found at airtractor.com.
