Dick Kleine

Retired Vice President, Quality

Deere & Company

Dick earned his B.S. in Industrial Engineering from St. Louis University.  He received his MBA from the University of Iowa.  He is pursuing his Doctorate in Business at St. Ambrose University at the current time.  Dick began his career with John Deere in 1960 as an Industrial Engineer.  He held various engineering and management positions in manufacturing at six different Deere locations.

He was named General Manager of the Hay and Forage Division in 1983 and was named General Manager of the Harvesting, Seeding and Cylinder Divisions in 1987.  Under his leadership these divisions underwent extensive restructuring and change.  These changes significantly improved quality, customer satisfaction, employee satisfaction, cycle time and profitability.

In 1995, Dick was named Vice President of Quality for Deere & Company where his role was to help the Company achieve business excellence through customer satisfaction, process improvement and people.  In this position, Dick facilitated the “Quality Council” consisting of the Company Chairman, Division Presidents, and Senior Executives to improve Total Quality in the John Deere organization.

Dick retired in 1998 after a wonderful career with John Deere, but he has continued to be very active in the Community during his retirement.

He currently serves on the Board of Directors of the Carmelite System (an organization of 13 nursing homes), Southeast Bank, Handicapped Development Center, the Center for Active Seniors (CASI) and the Community Foundation of the Great River Bend.  He also serves on the Advisory Council for the Business School at St. Ambrose U.  He served as Community Member of the Quad City Times Editorial board, and serves as a member of the Task Force for a Quad City Community Scan.  Dick is a member of the Davenport Rotary Club, Diocese and Church councils.  Dick also proposed and served on a committee at St Ambrose U. to implement an “Executive Leadership Institute” to develop local executives in leadership.  He has served as Trustee at his Church and served as the Chairman of his Church Expansion project.  He served as Co-Chairman of the Bettendorf Centennial event.  He is active in promoting Recognition as a great leadership attribute.  Dick organized two Business/Education Partnerships in the Quad Cities promoting systemic change in education.  He also served as chairman of the United Way Campaign for the Quad Cities and as Chairman and on committees of numerous other charitable fund raising events.