A Dominant Force in Agricultural Land

SELLING LAND

A Dominant Force in Agricultural Land

Story by Cary Estes

For more than 40 years, Peoples Company quietly served local clients close to its Midwestern roots in Iowa. As the 50th anniversary rolls around this year, Peoples Company has established itself as a leading provider of integrated farmland solutions. Peoples Company is known as one of the few firms with core competencies in land brokerage, appraisal, asset management and acquisition, providing clients with a one-stop solution for agricultural transactions across the United States.

So what transpired in the past 10 years to transform this small Midwestern firm into a dominant player in the agricultural land space? Today, Peoples Company, with licenses in 30 states and 10 offices stretching from the Pacific Northwest to the Deep South, has the capacity to serve all the major agricultural markets as a full-service national farmland transaction company.

Peoples Company President Steve Bruere explains the growth strategy was intentional and meticulously planned. According to Bruere much of the company’s growth and success can be attributed to Vice President Molly Zaver, who he handpicked and hired in 2017 to “run the business.”

“Molly, who brought extensive experience in business administration and management to Peoples Company, has been instrumental in creating and implementing our strategic plan, recruiting top talent, directing company acquisitions, and providing leadership to the team,” Bruere says. “As the demands of day-to-day business pile up, many people lose sight of big picture goals, but she’s always committed to accomplishing the initiatives necessary to achieve our company objectives.”

When Zaver arrived at Peoples Company, she was met with a vision for national expansion and plenty of work to get there. Zaver brought the focus and intensity to shift the expansion plans into high gear and began establishing Peoples Company’s presence and network outside of Iowa.

The critical first step to success in the expansion strategy was establishing a physical presence in key geographic regions. Peoples Company analyzed the regions using various metrics and identified priority areas for expansion, evaluating: 1) the inherent value in the farmland assets, 2) farmland transaction volume with a primary focus on institutional and professional investors, and 3) opportunities for value added management to improve returns, i.e. organic transition.

“We have an amazing organization that is executing on large, complicated land transactions throughout the U.S. A great deal of effort went into selecting the agricultural regions we serve and the people who represent us. We weren’t growing just to grow,” Bruere says.

Under the direction of Zaver, Peoples Company quickly established offices in Washington, California, Michigan, Nebraska, Arkansas, and Tennessee through acquisitions and partnerships. Zaver served as the point person identifying firms that aligned with company culture and land professionals who held similar company values within major agricultural regions.

“This was not a simple process. When managing the development of partnerships and acquisitions, there were numerous moving parts that had to be balanced and synchronized,” says Dave Muth, managing director of assets for Peoples Company’s Capital Markets group. “But Molly is very skilled in that arena. Her skillset, resources, capability, and tenacity were essential to complete the expansion plan.”

Kyle Walker, Peoples Company director of land management, agrees. “A leader in this role must be able to both identify company and employee needs as well as create a viable business structure to achieve goals,” Walker says. “Her strengths, values, and intensity elevate Peoples Company and our employees to new heights.”

As the company grew geographically, Zaver saw the need to build a more robust business structure to support the company’s expansion. She began selecting individuals to lead key departments such as human resources, accounting and marketing and key divisions including brokerage, appraisal, management, and capital markets. In a historically male-dominated industry, Zaver concentrated on selecting the best qualified people in the business for the executive leadership team. Today, women make up 60 percent of the executive leadership team at Peoples Company.

Erin Larsen, who Zaver hired as the company’s director of marketing, said “Molly is a remarkable leader and a true inspiration demonstrating what women can accomplish in the ag industry.”

Peoples Company is now embarking on a new three-year strategic plan themed, “Rooted in Tradition. Growing for the Future.” According to Zaver, the goal is for Peoples Company to continue focusing on its core business strengths, while leveraging new technology to enhance its business model, and maintaining the collaborative culture that has led to so much recent success.

“One of the things we are most proud of is the culture and team we have developed and maintained throughout our growth,” Zaver says. “The collaborative environment we have established in each office and with all team members around the country is truly unique. We foster the team’s growth and development and put a lot of energy into creating opportunities for relationships and synergy to be formed throughout the company.”

As Peoples Company continues expanding across the nation and recruiting top talent, it remains committed to creating opportunities for landowners by being resourceful and influential in the global land business while delivering innovative solutions to clients with a team of cohesive land professionals focused on building lasting relationships.

Molly Zaver let the expansion efforts for Peoples Company and continues to build the company acroos the nation.

About Molly Zaver

Vice President of Peoples Company

A native of Ankeny, Iowa just north of Des Moines, Zaver receiveda Bachelor of Business Administration degree in Marketing fromthe University of Iowa. Zaver began forging her career in the corporate world.

After giving birth to a son and twin daughters in less than two years, Zaver shifted to non-profit management, which enabled her to workfrom home. In 2011, Zaver underwent treatment for breast cancer. Her experience prompted her to found Can Do Cancer, a nonprofit that provides free support services for women with breast cancer who are undergoing chemotherapy.

In recent years, Peoples Company has been recognized by leading industry trade groups with numerous awards for its brokerage, land management, and marketing services, including being named as one of America’s Best Brokerages and Top Auction Houses for the past 11 years.

Zaver’s efforts on behalf of numerous organizations in the Des Moines area caught Breure’s attention. When he served as president of the Iowa Chapter of the REALTORS® Land Institute in 2012, he employed Zaver as the chapter’s executive director.

Over the next few years, Zaver continually impressed Breure, who began thinking about how to bring her into Peoples Company. In 2016, he created a new role to divide the workload of operating the company. The job, which was specifically designed for Zaver, focused on handling on-going business functions, allowing Bruere to concentrate on executing land deals and growing the company. In January 2017, Zaver joined Peoples Company as vice president.