ABOVE: Jessica Geelan has been named the new CEO of Kahler Automation after the retirement of John Christ. Geelan has been with the company since February 2025 and has worked as the CFO since August 2025.

FAIRMONT – With the retirement of Kahler Automation CEO John Christ, CFO Jessica Geelan has been named the new CEO, effective this past Wednesday.

Kahler Automation provides automation solutions for agriculture companies. This includes data management, bulk material handling and logistics, including truck traffic control. Currently, they have nearly 100 employees.

Geelan graduated from Buena Vista University in 1999 as an accountant, starting her career as a CPA. Over the next 26 years, she gained experience in a variety of roles and collaborations, including for a POET ethanol plant, with sales at Drago corn head distribution and Director of Finance and Operations at Templeton Distillery.

Throughout her journey, Geelan said everything has helped her grow her career and get the background she needed to lead.

“I came here as the controller,” she said. “That’s my training, is in accounting. I’ve done a lot of accounting stuff, but I’ve also done a lot of management stuff. Working with all the different people along the way, different industries, all tied to ag, but getting experience in a lot of different things.”

Kahler became the next step in her journey in February 2025, when she became the controller for Kahler Automation.

“The controller basically oversees the accounting department and the finance department,” Geelan said. Chantill Kahler-Royer was on a leave of absence during a lot of my controller role here, so I did assume some of the CFO level responsibilities at the same time, getting to sit on the leadership team and help with strategic thinking, but at the same time overseeing the accounting functions and internal controls.”

After six months, Kahler-Royer stepped away, and Geelan stepped into the CFO role to assume the full slate of responsibilities. Having been in one position for six months, then another since then, Geelan said it has been pretty fast at times.

“We’re a complex business here,” she said. “We have a lot of different pieces. Service, sales and software. We have a lot of stuff going on here. It’s learning a lot of things. I still have a lot to learn. I think everybody does, but it’s been really good. We have a great team here, and that has made my time here really effective and impactful.”

The most important piece Geelan said she has picked up at Kahler is experience in software.

“Being in the software industry is new to me,” she said. “With our automation comes our software. Probably the biggest whirlwind is getting accustomed with that technology and being able to learn some of that. I would say that’s probably one of the more important things, because that’s what we do.”

In being chosen as the new CEO, Geelan said she knew she has a strong leadership team to start out with.

“That’s a great support system in terms of being able to execute the goals of the company,” she said. “I think that helped in the decision-making process of whether I thought this was the next career move for me or not. It’s super exciting, all the advancements in technology and the things that we can bring to our customers in terms of efficiencies that our systems bring to their facilities.”

To be entrusted as the next leader for Kahler Automation, Geelan said that responsibility to her employees is important.

“Being able to help customers in the ag sector find efficiencies in their systems and bring them automation that makes their businesses run even better,” she said. “That’s the rewarding piece: when you can see the fruits of all the efforts of the people that you have here, that’s the most important part.”

Kahler Automation Founder Wayne Kahler, in a press release announcing the transition, said Geelan brings a combination of financial discipline, operational excellence and strategic vision.

“She understands our business from the inside out, has earned the trust of our employees and customers, and has a clear understanding of the opportunities and challenges facing agriculture today,” he said. “Her leadership will ensure Kahler Automation continues to grow while remaining focused on delivering exceptional value to our customers.”

Currently, until a replacement can be found, Geelan is filling the roles of both CEO and CFO. In the first couple of days since taking over, she said it has been very busy.

“A lot of meetings,” she said. “Getting up to speed on some of the things that maybe I wasn’t directly involved in, and now am. But it’s fun. I’m excited about the future for Kahler and myself in this role.”

At this time, Geelan said she is still settling into her new position, so it will take some time before a vision for the future of Kahler Automation is mapped out.

“Once we have time, we’re going to have a planning session with the leadership team,” she said. “We’ll set some goals for our next quarter, and we’ll be talking about overall, five-year, three-year and one-year strategy.”