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Deere & Company Pension Fund
The Deere & Company Pension Fund was established in 1950 to provide defined benefit retirement income for employees of John Deere.
Deere & Company Pension Fund
The Deere & Company Pension Fund was established in 1950 to provide defined benefit retirement income for employees of John Deere. The pension system's roots trace back to the early 20th century under William Butterworth, a descendant of founder John Deere. Chairman and CEO John C. May now oversees the parent company whose operational cash flows fund the plan, with Manager of Investments Rhonda Copeland responsible for asset allocation decisions. Copeland's mandate spans a diversified institutional portfolio including exposure to real estate, private credit, hedge funds, secondaries, and infrastructure strategies. The fund operates with the structural advantage of a committed corporate sponsor, allowing it to access private market co-investments and alternative vehicles alongside other corporate pensions. Confirmed co-investor relationships include the William Butterworth Foundation, which shares community investment goals in the Quad Cities region. The plan encompasses both a defined benefit structure and a related 401(k) savings plan administered through Alight Solutions. Investment operations are concentrated in Moline, with the John Deere Foundation — led by President Nate Clark — operating as a related philanthropic vehicle that channels grants into the fund's core geographies. The foundation maintains partnerships with the National FFA Organization and United Way Quad Cities, reflecting a long-standing focus on community-level deployment alongside institutional allocations. A defining architectural feature is the integration between a Fortune 500 industrial balance sheet and a patient-liability pension mandate. This allows the fund to hold alternative assets with extended lock-up periods while maintaining liquidity for benefit payments, a posture reinforced by Deere & Company's multi-generational corporate stability and the pension trust's independent fiduciary oversight.
General information
Firm type
Corporate Pension Plan
Year founded
1950
AUM
Undisclosed
Location
Region
North America
Country
United States
City
Moline
Corporate office
Moline, IL, United States
Principals
Rhonda Copeland
Manager, Investments
John C. May
Chairman and CEO, Deere & Company
Nate Clark
President, John Deere Foundation
Sector focus
Frequently asked questions
Who runs investment decisions at the Deere & Company Pension Fund?
Rhonda Copeland serves as Manager of Investments, overseeing asset allocation for the John Deere Pension Trust. She reports within a structure governed by Deere & Company's overall corporate leadership under Chairman and CEO John C. May. The fund maintains fiduciary oversight consistent with ERISA standards for corporate pension plans.
What is the fund's relationship to Deere & Company's corporate balance sheet?
The fund is a separate legal trust sponsored by Deere & Company. It receives employer contributions from the company's operating cash flows, which are driven by its global machinery manufacturing business. This structure means the fund's health is indirectly tied to Deere's industrial performance but legally ring-fenced for plan beneficiaries.
Does the fund allocate to alternative assets, and if so, which strategies?
The fund maintains an alternative investment portfolio that includes real estate, private credit, hedge funds, secondaries, and infrastructure. The allocation mirrors those of large corporate pension plans seeking liability-hedging returns and yield enhancement beyond public equities and fixed income.
How does the John Deere Foundation relate to the pension fund's mission?
The John Deere Foundation, led by President Nate Clark, is a separate philanthropic entity also funded by Deere & Company. The foundation partners with organizations like the National FFA Organization and United Way Quad Cities. It operates alongside the pension fund but serves a community-grant role distinct from the defined benefit trust's mission of providing retirement security.
Is the Deere & Company Pension Fund still an active defined benefit plan?
The plan includes an active defined benefit component alongside a 401(k) savings and investment plan. Benefits administration is managed through Alight Solutions' platform at yourbenefitsresources.com. The dual structure represents a hybrid approach adopted by many large industrial employers to balance legacy obligations with current workforce needs.
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