About the Author

Lee Klancher's career encompasses more than 30 years of publishing great stories. As an editor and publisher, he has overseen the development of some of the most-respected and best-selling books in the transportation niche. A prolific author and photographer, Lee has contributed words and images to more than 30 books as well as dozens of national magazines including Men's Journal, Draft, and Motorcyclist.

A book junkie and an obsessive student of his craft, Lee has also taught writing and photography at the Minneapolis College of Art and Design. He is best known for his award-winning books and calendars covering farm tractors, including Red Tractors and Red 4WD Tractors. He has rented an abandoned air force base to create a book cover, and built a custom 20x40-foot studio to photograph 30 of the most valuable John Deeres in private hands. He and his camera have climbed the Julian Alps, explored breweries on four continents, and ridden backcountry motorcycle routes in the Bolivian Amazon, the Australian Outback, and on the island of Hokkaido, Japan.

When not working on a book or a photo shoot, Lee busies himself biking, reading, and enjoying good food and craft beer. Lee lives in Austin, Texas with his wife, Joan as well as their dog, Red.

Gerry Salzman, Principal, GES International LLC provides consulting on Global Agricultural Strategies focusing on farm equipment and services. In 2014, he retired as Senior Director, Global Marketing, after 42 years of service with International Harvester and CaseIH.

In his final role with CaseIH, Gerry was responsible for all worldwide product and marketing activities for Case IH harvesting equipment. Those responsibilities included defining product positions, coordination of future product needs, and consolidation of commercial objectives globally.

He also is a patent award recipient.

In his 42 years with International Harvester and Case IH, he has held positions in product development of combines, sugar cane harvesters, grain platforms and cotton pickers, as well as marketing and product management of crop harvesting, hay and forage, and construction equipment.

Within the industry, he has served as Chairman of the Public Relations Committee of the U.S. Grains Council and also the Agri-Business Forum of the Council. He was elected to four terms on the Board of Directors of the USGC. In 2012, Salzman received the Lifetime Achievement award from the Council and was only the sixth recipient in 50 years to be recognized. As a graduate of the Illinois Agricultural Leadership Program he was honored with the inaugural Torch of Leadership award in 2014.

Salzman holds a bachelor's degree in agricultural economics from Western Illinois University. He is a member of Alpha Gamma Rho (Brother of the Century Recognition) and Alpha Zeta fraternities. He is also a member of Blue Key.

He also has served six years in the U.S. Army Reserves

Salzman currently serves on the Board of Directors of the National Alpha Gamma Rho Educational Foundation.

Gerry and Judy have two children, Amanda and Adam and four grandchildren.

Kenneth Updike has spent much of his life immersed in farm equipment. His work appears in Red Power, Heritage Iron and several well-respected books about Farmall and International Harevester Tractors.