At the weekend, the Alexandra man celebrated 40 years working for the same business.
He started as an 18-year-old office boy at Wright Stevensons in Dunedin and is now the rural supplies manager for PGG Wrightson in Central Otago.
"It certainly doesn't seem like 40 years ago since I started, but I do remember my first day and first week, really vividly," he said.
"I was office boy for one week and then someone else started and they took over the job and I was moved to the produce department.
"In the office there was a big pool of secretaries and their job was to process the big ledger sheets. Everything was entered by hand."
On his second day at work, the accountant took him to one side, and told him he needed a haircut.
In those early days, he recalled writing entries of seed in a leather-bound book and helping unload bulk seed wagons at the weekend, stacking three or four tiers of grain-filled bags.
He served a stint on the road as a produce agent in the late 1970s and worked his way through the ranks.
Most of his work during the past 40 years has revolved around produce and merchandise - "I've done everything other than working with livestock or wool."
Along the way the company has been involved in several mergers and changed names four times and Mr Dixon has survived several rounds of restructuring.
He is now responsible for the Alexandra store staff and also spends time on the road visiting farm clients, selling animal health remedies and fertiliser.
"Dealing with the farmers over 30-odd years, you build up a good relationship and try to support them.
"Of course, now I'm dealing with the second generation of those families, children you've known since they were born."
Land use had changed dramatically in Central Otago during that time.
The arrival and rapid expansion of grape growing in the area, irrigation on merino properties and tenure review all had a major effect.
Mr Dixon still enjoys working in the agriculture industry and says it is a great job.
"The staff and the clients you work with - I think that's what's kept me in this job."
Mr Dixon has twice met the "other" Rod Dixon, the Olympic bronze medalist runner.
Both are of a similar age and had joked each should steer clear of bank robberies as the publicity would reflect badly on the other.
