Deep South & Southern Equipment Dealers Association Merge

The Deep South Equipment Dealers Association headquarted in Baton Rouge, and Southern Equipment Dealers Association, headquarted in Dublin, Georgia, voted to merge effective July 1, 2018. Since 1944, Deep South Association has represented the agricultural, industrial, forestry, outdoor power, turf and irrigation equipment dealers in Louisiana and Mississippi. Following 54 years of service each, the Alabama Equipment Dealers Association and Southeastern Equipment Dealers Association merged forming the Southern Equipment Dealers Association in 1998 and has represented the farm, industrial, outdoor power and turf equipment dealers in Alabama, Georgia and Florida. The newly merged Deep South and Southern Associations will be called the Deep Southern Equipment Dealers Association and will now represent equipment dealer members in the five states of Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia and Florida. The new association will be overseen by a Board of Directors comprised of members from these five states represented geographically and by manufacturer lines.   

The new merged Association Office will be domiciled in Baton Rouge with Vincent R. Zebeau Jr. serving as the President/CEO and Corporate Secretary. He served as the Executive Vice President and Corporate Secretary of the former Deep South Equipment Dealers Association prior to the merger. 

With the continued consolidation of dealerships operating in multiple states and other US affiliates representing multiple states, this merger will strengthen the unified voice of all dealer members in the southern Gulf Coast region. The new Deep Southern Equipment Dealers Association will be better positioned to provide more access to competitive programs and dealer services, enhanced training and membership recruitment and gain a larger geographic imprint to speak with one unified voice for manufacturer relations and legislative issues. 

The new Deep Southern Equipment Dealers Association looks forward to a very bright and successful future serving the needs of its dealer members in the five Gulf Coast states represented.