C&C Manufacturing names former John Deere exec as president, COO

Ottumwa, Iowa-based C&C Manufacturing, a manufacturer of landfill compactors, car crushers, metal baling and airport snow removal equipment, has announced the appointment of David Bradford as president and chief operating officer (COO).

Bradford brings more than 22 years of experience in manufacturing and management from his time at Moline, Illinois-based John Deere, and most recently served as operations manager for Amazon’s fulfillment center in Bondurant, Iowa, for three years.

“C&C Manufacturing [grew] over 125 percent last year with significant expansion in its core manufacturing business and … parts and service business, and it also opened a new, certified refurbishing facility,” says Salvatore C. Calvino, chairman of C&C Manufacturing and CEO of Equivu Capital, a Florida-based private investment firm that acquired C&C Manufacturing in 2021. “David’s depth of manufacturing expertise, leadership experience and strong track record of success [make] him the ideal executive to lead C&C Manufacturing in this next phase of growth. We are extremely happy to have him join us in building the future of C&C.”

During his career at John Deere, Bradford held several roles, including director of global tractor and loader fulfillment; general manager for John Deere Ottumwa Works, where he led manufacturing for six product families of baling and mowing equipment; a factory manager for John Deere Seeding Works, where he worked with the North Dakota Economic Develop Group on a $21 million factory expansion; business unit manager for crawler operations; and an engineer at the company’s technical center.

“I am thrilled to join C&C Manufacturing as president and lead it at this high-growth time, leveraging the backing of Sal Calvino, Gaylon Cowan and Jeff Cowan,” Bradford says. “My many years in the local Ottumwa community make it especially gratifying to join this amazing company and spearhead its manufacturing operations.”