Before she’d ever driven a passenger car, Debra Kuper ran a tractor. So it’s no wonder that the farmer’s daughter, now 43, grew up to become general counsel of AGCO Corp., one of the world’s largest manufacturers and distributors of agricultural equipment.

Kuper, who graduated from law school at age 32, says she knew upon graduation that her ultimate objective was to become a GC. So she immediately struck out to obtain the skills necessary for the position to reach her goal before retirement.