Gleason Corporation recently announced that its Gleason Cutting Tools Corporation facility in Rockford, Illinois has earned Partner-level status in the John Deere Achieving Excellence Program. This status is Deere & Company’s highest supplier rating. Suppliers who participate in Deere & Company’s Achieving Excellence program are evaluated annually in several key performance categories including quality, cost management, delivery, technical support and wavelength, which is a measure of responsiveness. John Deere created the program in 1991 to provide a supplier evaluation and feedback process that promotes continuous improvement. Robert P. Phillips, senior vice president, Tooling Products Group and Gleason Cutting Tools Corporation said “Gleason Cutting Tools Corporation is proud to be a supplier to John Deere, and are honored to have our performance recognized at such a high level.”  Partner-level status was awarded to Gleason Cutting Tools Corporation for all cutting tool products and services provided by Gleason to the John Deere operations in Waterloo and Des Moines, Iowa.