Lakeland Equipment and Z&M Ag and Turf, Western New York’s two John Deere dealers, entered a new partnership with Argonne Capital Group. The two dealer groups will merge their assets into a new company called LandPro Equipment, which is backed by Argonne and existing shareholders of Lakeland and Z&M.

With 12 dealership locations, LandPro Equipment will be the largest John Deere turf and agricultural equipment dealer in the Northeast. The combined company will be headquartered in Falconer, NY and managed by Tracy Buck, president of Z&M Ag and Turf.

“We’ve had the pleasure of working with fantastic customers over the years and look forward to continuing that in the future. We’re now selling to the children and grandchildren of people we sold to 30 years ago,” Buck said. “Our success is a product of our hard working employees and the quality of the John Deere product. We are excited about this new partnership and the possibilities it offers our customers and our employees.”

Z&M Ag and Turf was established in 1963 and was purchased by  Buck, a long-time employee, and John Griffith in 1994. Under their leadership, Z&M expanded several times over the next 20 years. Today, Buck and Tom Kelsey, who joined as partner in 2001, own six Z&M Ag and Turf locations in Oakfield, NY, Alexander, NY, Springville, NY, Falconer, NY, Clymer, NY and Edinboro, PA.

Lakeland Equipment was founded in 1983 when Marty Phillippe and Gene Roling purchased the existing John Deere dealership in Wayne County, NY. In 1990, Roling and Phillippe partnered with Bob McNamara and Mike Wilson to open two more dealership locations. Together, the former Deere & Company employees grew the company over the next 26 years and now manage stores in Avon, NY, Brockport, NY, Hall, NY, Macedon, NY, North Chili, NY and Savannah, NY. Phillippe and Wilson are now joined by Andy McNamara and Ryan Payment as managing partners.  McNamara retired at the end of 2016.

Argonne Capital is a private investment firm based in Atlanta. Argonne’s portfolio of companies generates $1.5 billion in annual sales and spans distinctive brands such as IHOP, Applebee’s, On The Border, Krystal and Planet Fitness.