R.D. Offutt Company moved into a new downtown Field Support Office (FSO) on Feb. 1. The company will occupy floors 1 through 5 of the recently completed mixed-use RDO Building on the corner of Broadway and 3rd Ave N. in Fargo, N.D.
R.D Offutt Company is a family owned and operated company comprised of business entities that includes RDO Equipment Co., a network of equipment dealerships with more than 75 locations across nine states. The company sells and supports equipment from manufacturing partners including John Deere, Vermeer, Topcon and Wirtgen. Its most recent addition is the full-service equipment, parts and service location in Dayton, Minn., which opened last May.
The FSO's modern workplace design was inspired by an RDO core value of partnering with employees and involved a working group of team members throughout the design process. At the center of the design philosophy was the notion of collaboration. The entire space was designed to promote formal and informal interactions between team members. Most notably, the fifth floor of the new building is designed as an open floorplan.
The office will eventually bring nearly 400 R.D. Offutt Company team members, previously spread across four locations in Fargo-Moorhead, under one roof. Short-term, however, occupancy will be limited to no more than 50 percent capacity in accordance with company COVID-19 protocols.
"This single space for our field support teams will support our already collaborative and fast-paced culture," said Tim Curoe, R.D. Offutt Company CEO. "Beyond that, the new office is a testament to the Offutt family's and RDO's commitment to our community, our team members and the industries we serve. It's a milestone we are incredibly proud of as a company and as individuals."
Several building features were added to ensure team member safety amid the COVID-19 environment, including a deionization air filtration system, no-touch sink operations and door handles operable with arms instead of hands.
The Offutt family selected the downtown location for the company's new office as an investment, not only in the future of the company, but also in Fargo and its downtown urban core.
R.D. Offutt Company's origins date back more than 50 years, when founder Ron Offutt started his business as a local potato farmer. The company has since grown to include business interests in farming, food, and equipment sales and service around the country and internationally, yet Fargo has remained the company's hub and primary business location.
"Fargo has been and continues to be a great community for our family and our business," said Christi Offutt, board chair of R.D. Offutt Company.
The building project broke ground in September 2018 and was a collaborative partnership between R.D. Offutt Company and Kilbourne Group.