Cleveland Brothers recently hosted the Cat Dealer Data Analytics Summit at the Hotel Monaco in downtown Pittsburgh, welcoming leaders from Caterpillar and 25 dealerships. The event’s highlight was a Q&A session with Cleveland Brothers leadership that focused on the transformative power of data analytics and the company’s ongoing journey toward a data-driven culture.
The panel featured Tommy Kirchhoff (Rental Growth Manager), Karen Zimmerman (Chief Human Resources Officer), Ryan Gelburd (Chief Data Officer), and Tom Koons (Product Support Growth Manager). Together, they emphasized a core theme: “Data drives decisions in all areas of our business.”
The Journey from Spreadsheets to Strategy
The discussion began with each leader describing their business unit’s data analytics journey, focusing particularly on the shift from legacy systems to NAXT.
“Historically, at Cleveland Brothers, we’ve been in the ‘next generation’ of data for a while, but it often meant pivot tables and Excel sheets,” explained Tom Koons. He noted that the new ERP system, NAXT, is already streamlining processes in some areas of the business. Paired with platforms like Snowflake, which acts as a fully managed data warehouse and data-sharing service, “we will more effectively handle data management.”
Ryan Gelburd elaborated on this vision, stating the goal is “about breaking silos and bringing people together with data.” He framed the future of data analytics around three key questions: “Do we have the right data? Is it available to the right stakeholders? Is it trusted?”
How Data Delivers Change
When asked how data has positively impacted their specific areas, the leaders provided concrete examples from opposite ends of the business.
In Human Resources, Karen Zimmerman explained that a modern HR function is built on talent analytics. “It’s about measuring employee engagement, the employee experience, and the candidate experience,” she said. This includes tracking metrics such as time-to-offer, time-to-fill, and the effectiveness of onboarding plans.
The future, she noted, lies in predictive analytics. By capturing the right data, HR can identify trends early—such as which employees are most likely to leave—and “proactively address challenges.”
In Rental, Tommy Kirchhoff said the primary focus is growth and revenue. He expressed a desire for “live data” on how many units are on rent, a capability he hopes NAXT will provide. He also detailed a significant operational improvement he hopes to see: the transportation group, which currently relies on Google or Apple Maps, could soon use NAXT to “maximize efficiency,” simplifying routes and allowing customers to track deliveries much like a package from UPS or Amazon.
Tackling the Challenges: Literacy and Governance
The panel stressed that for a data tool to be successful, it must be “simple, easy to use,” and clearly deliver value. However, one of the biggest implementation challenges is data literacy.
“It’s a challenge externally and internally... It’s a mixed bag,” Zimmerman said.
Gelburd noted they are in the “early stages” of building this competency across the company. “I’m scrappy when it comes to literacy,” Gelburd remarked, emphasizing the need to build a strong foundation leveraging our internal talent to deliver training, as well as leveraging our external vendors to invest in Cleveland Brothers employees.
The Future: AI and Adoption
Looking ahead, the conversation turned to emerging technologies, like Artificial Intelligence (AI). While acknowledging AI is a “powerful tool,” the group urged a measured approach. “Foundationally, are we ready?” Gelburd asked. “Is it secure? We have to figure out how to control it for the business.”
The panel concluded that the current focus remains on driving adoption of the new NAXT system and using the data it provides to tell compelling stories, which is a key objective for Gelburd’s team. By establishing strong governance and building data literacy from the ground up, Cleveland Brothers aims to make sure its new data capabilities translate into smart, evidence-based decisions across the entire company.
To learn more about how Caterpillar is shaping the future of data, AI, and innovation, click here:
https://www.caterpillar.com/en/company/innovation.html