Our Mission
To provide our customers with superior quality workmanship, along with supplying the best available products in the marketplace.
We will provide and service a finished product that is designed to best fit each of our customer’s specific needs. These services will be provided by friendly grain handling professionals who believe that this business was founded and continues to operate on honesty, integrity and loyalty.
Who We Are
Hochstetler Grain Equipment was established in 1957.
The main items sold in those days were corn cribs. Through the years, its aggressive sales force has grown the company to be a leader in the agriculture industry. The governing principle has been to sell only quality equipment and to provide superior workmanship and service to the end user.
What We Do
The company provides an option for turnkey completed projects.
This begins with project design, concrete work, grain bin erection, millwright service, electrical, and then service after the sale.
Hochstetler Grain Equipment, Inc. prides itself with the best available service in the area. This includes service to the customer on their complete grain system for materials handling, grain conditioning, grain drying, and grain storage.
The Largest Parts Department in the Area
Hochstetler Grain Equipment helps insure no “down time” for the customer.
The Golden Rule
Hochstetler Grain Equipment, Inc. became a corporation in January of 1977. Today, Hochstetler Grain Equipment, Inc. is the leading grain bin and dryer dealer in the Michiana area.
The company has been operated with honesty, integrity, and loyalty for many years. Larry Slabaugh, Founder of the corporation, has managed the company on the “golden rule”. (One should treat others as one would expect to be treated.)
Hochstetler Grain Equipment, Inc. will be around to serve our customers for many years to come.
Meet Our Team
Dave Slabaugh
Sales Rep & President
Experience: I have been in sales at Hochstetler Grain for over 40 years & love interacting with our good Customers and the friendships that are formed along the way.
Interests/Hobbies: I love hearing our daughters & son play Worship music & enjoy Notre Dame football.
Kevin Herschberger
Sales Rep & Service Tech
Experience: I have worked at HGE for 31 years. The first three years in construction, and the rest in sales and grain dryer service.
Interests/Hobbies: Totally enjoy spending time with my family on the lake, love traveling with my wife.
Interesting Fact about me: I’m married to Andrea for 30 years and am still in love. We have three boys and I’m extremely proud of each one. I’m thankful for the relationships I’ve developed over the years with so many good customers, vendors and fellow employees.
Jeremy Yoder
Electrical Sales Rep & Service Tech
Experience: I have been working at M-Line Electric / Hochstetler Grain for 26 years. I started out working in the field, installing and wiring new equipment. Since then, I have worked in sales, service and management positions. One of the best aspects of my job is the relationships I have formed with customers and my co-workers.
Interests/Hobbies: When I am not working, I enjoy spending time outdoors. I like spending time on my lawnmower, decompressing from everything else going on in my life at any given time. I enjoy spending time with my family, boating, swimming, snowmobiling, riding ATVs, kayaking, bicycling and watching my kids play sports. I also enjoy trying new foods and restaurants.
Interesting Fact about me: I have been married for 22 years to my wife Jessica. We have a son and daughter. I don’t like change. I grew up living in the same house until I moved out to get married and have only moved once since I have been married.
Keith Yoder
Sales Rep & Service Coordinator
Experience: I have worked in parts, service, H.R. & sales here at H.G.E. for 25+ years. Previous to H.G.E., I worked in customer service and sales for 10 years in the RV industry. I enjoy building relationships and friendships with my customers.
Interests/Hobbies: I enjoy “patio & porch” time with wife and family. Smoking meats and grilling, finding local eateries/breweries, travel adventures w/ my wife and college sports. I enjoy a very wide variety of music but tend to gravitate back to 80’s rock and classic country.
Interesting Fact about me: I grew up in Kansas, so I am a deeply rooted Jayhawk, Chiefs & Royals fan. I have been married to my wife, Brenda for over 30 years now. I am a girl dad and have two daughters that are married and love being a “grandpa”! I hate mice!
Dan Mast
Parts Manager
Experience: I have been in parts for over 13 years and have enjoyed working with customers and helping to get their equipment going. I have enjoyed getting to know a lot of people and have made great relationships with them.
Interests/Hobbies: I’m a big IU basketball fan, really a collage basketball fan. In March I’m a couch potato. I also like baseball.
Interesting Fact about me: I have been married to Anna for almost 40 years, we have four kids and nine grandchildren. I really enjoy being a grandpa, you get to spoil the kids then send them home to their parents. I really enjoy playing with them and watching them grow up.
I like doing mission trips, just like to help wherever I can, which has led me to Mexico several times and to Honduras.
Char Stapke
Office Manager
Experience: I’ve been working in accounting for over 40 years and as an Office Manager for 25 years. I came to Hochstetler Grain 7 years ago from NW Indiana where my husband & I raised our 3 kids. My daughters moved to this area & when the job came up here, I jumped at the chance to move to “The Country.”
Interests/Hobbies: My husband Chuck & I love spending time with our 3 grown children & 6 grandchildren. So, on the weekends, that is where you will find us.
Interesting Fact about me: When I moved here, I didn’t know what a grain bin, a dryer, a “Leg” or anything to do with country living was. I was from the city & this has been an interesting experience from day one. Driving on country roads to seeing horses on the streets has been a very different lifestyle from what I was used to.
I love working here at H.G.E. & the people here have become my lifelong friends!!
Jeff Wise
Purchasing
Experience: I have been at Hochstetler Grain/M-Line for 8 years, I have been a helper out in the electrical field, worked on electrical motor repairs, I’m currently working as primary purchasing agent for both HGE/M-Line Electric and I also work with the CAD/Design program. I love the challenges this job brings daily.
Interests/Hobbies: I enjoy working in the yard, playing random sports with my kids and woodworking. Every Christmas, I hand make the gifts that we give to our families.
Interesting Fact about me: I have been married to my wife, Jenn for 20 years. I have 2 children a daughter who is a at Grace College studying nursing and playing JV basketball and a son in high school playing baseball. We also have 2 boxers, Dexter & Millie. In previous years I have spent time on the Nappanee Apple Festival committee, and we attend Wakarusa Missionary Church where we help teach the Pre-School classroom.
Leslie Lentz
Sales and Service Admin
Experience: I am the newest member of the team here at H.G.E., but I come from 20+ years of office and customer service experience.
Interests/Hobbies: I love cooking, coffee, archery, camping, dogs and anything DIY.
Interesting Fact about me: I have been married to my high school sweetheart, Justin, for 19 years. We have a son and a daughter. Although, I was born and raised in the area; we have also lived in Louisiana and Alberta, Canada.
Lexi Alfano
Parts Admin
Experience: I have been the parts administrative assistant for a little over 2 years.
Interests/Hobbies: I enjoy all things outdoors and spending weekends at the campgrounds with family.
Interesting Fact about me: I have been married to my husband for 3 years and we just welcomed our first child in May of ’21. And I love all things purple and sunflowers.
