John Deere Expands U.S. Footprint with Opening of Chicago Office

MOLINE, Illinois — Deere & Company (NYSE: DE) announced today the expansion of its U.S. footprint with the opening of a new Chicago office where it plans to add 150 Information Technology jobs over the next two years, with the goal of hiring a total of 300 positions to support IT and additional roles within the company. Initially, the facility will target IT capabilities in eCommerce, cloud, data and analytics, and a variety of innovation related technical skills.

"A focused expansion of John Deere's global footprint aligns directly with our smart industrial strategy. This includes leveraging additional markets that have great diversity and technology skills to incorporate into our world-class talent base," said Andrez Carberry, Director of Global HR Operations at John Deere. "We build the best products in the world and through our technology, we improve our customers' profitability while driving more sustainable outcomes. Recruiting and developing diverse talent is critical to our continued growth and to the success of John Deere as a major employer of tech talent in Illinois."

Added Carberry, "We couldn't be more thrilled to be expanding our footprint into downtown Chicago."

"John Deere's new technology center in Chicago is just one example of the innovation and investment Illinois is inspiring with our top-tier talent and world-class infrastructure," said Governor JB Pritzker. "This new location will pave the way for hundreds of new IT jobs for Illinois residents and help Illinois continue its long-standing tradition of being at the center of breakthrough discoveries in agricultural and construction technology."

The new space, located in the fast-growing Fulton Market neighborhood, will allow Deere to recruit from the deep bench of diverse talent in Chicago and provide them with the flexibility of in-person collaboration. The new office is expected to open in late summer/early fall of 2022.

"Over the past few years, the digital transformation and agility of our business operations have been accelerated by a more modern Information Tech Stack on the foundation of stronger digital and technical skills," said Ganesh Jayaram, Vice President of Information Technology at John Deere. "Chicago offers us the opportunity to augment our technical skills to drive this ongoing modernization of our digital business solutions".

The investment in Chicago includes an EDGE agreement offered by the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO), a program to support companies making large-scale capital investments and long-term job creation commitments in Illinois communities.

"John Deere's investment in new technology jobs in Chicago reinforces Illinois' place as a global leader in agriculture," said DCEO Acting Director Sylvia I. Garcia of the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity. "DCEO looks forward to our continued partnership with John Deere, one Illinois' leading employers, as we advance Governor Pritzker's 5-year economic plan and invest in good paying jobs for Illinoisans."