The Merschman family

by Jen Wingerter ’13

The Merschman family includes parents, Bernice (deceased) and Bill, and their five children, all QU alumni; Kathleen, Jean, Joseph, Henry, and George, and many grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

GEORGE SAYS: My dad taught us when we were working to think about the customer first, and when we got home, mom taught us family first. I still live by these values they taught us every day.

In 1954, Bill and Bernice Merschman sold his grandfather’s farm and ventured into the seed business.

“I was very young when my dad and mom sold the farm,” said Jean. “This meant leaving a big farm and moving with three small children into a small one-bedroom rented house.”

Two years later, they built a new seed facility and planted the first 40-acre field of certified soybean seed in Lee County, Iowa. In 1971, the company sold its first private line of soybeans. By the 90s, the company was adding new products and began breeding soybeans.

“In the beginning, the financial part was hard, and we had to make a lot of personal sacrifices to keep the business going," said Bill.

The work was labor-intensive and the hours long, but the sacrifices paid off. Sixty-six years later, the business is still growing.

Bill and Bernice built Merschman Seeds on the foundation of honesty and integrity above all else. Bill’s mission for the company was to help the farmer succeed first.

“Dad began as a farmer and got into the seed and fertilizer business later,” said Kathy. “He always thought about our customers, the farmer.”

From producing a better product to adding an online seed ordering system, the company continues to invest in the business and make it better for their customers.

“Unlike many other publicly traded companies, we do not put the shareholder profits in front of what is the right thing for our customers,” said Henry.

The values they built the company on are deeply rooted in their Catholic faith. Bill’s first business consultant was his local priest. They raised their five children to have the same values. They taught their children to practice a strong work ethic and to be servant-minded.

Bill and Bernice never gave their children money, only opportunities to make it. As a result, the children all started working at the company at a young age in various capacities. Bill and Bernice expected them to manage their own money as well as buy and maintain their first car.

“My first car was a brand new VW Bug I bought for $2,100 when I was 16,” said Joe. “Proud day when I drove home with it.”

They also stressed the importance of a college education as a step to success in life. A great uncle left money in his estate to help each of the children attend college. They each chose Quincy University because it was a Catholic institution that was close to home and had strong education and business programs.

At 91, Bill still goes to work almost every day. He is a visionary leader who communicates regularly with a clear direction. He relies on his children to implement the details of the plan. He gave his children a lot of responsibility at an early age and now proudly watches the fruit of that investment.

KATHLEEN MCKILLIP ’72

What role do you currently have in the family business? Since 2007, I have served as a director of Merschman Seeds, Inc.

Did you start working at the business at a young age? During college summer breaks I did clerical work and assembled mailers.

What are you proudest of as a family-owned business? That the business has continued for 66 years with the third generations now working there.

How does your company’s work exemplify persistence? It goes back to my parent’s commitment to make this work. They sacrificed much to make sure the business would succeed.

What is a favorite memory of QU? I chose Quincy College because it had an excellent reputation in elementary education, and it was close to home.

JEAN HUMPHREY ’73

What role do you currently have in the family business? I am on the board of Merschman Seeds, Inc.

Did you start working at the business at a young age? I remember working on mailers at home on many evenings and weekends home from college. I also worked hoeing weeds from soybean and cornfields.

What are you proudest of as a family-owned business? I'm proud of the growth of the company in the past years, and how it has kept up with the latest ideas to help farmers.

How does your company’s work exemplify persistence? Persistence is exactly what it took to get through all these years. As most businesses that have gone through lean years know, one needs to change with the times as Merschman has done.

What is a favorite memory of QU? Quincy College had an excellent education program. I learned a lot from Sue Francour- she was instrumental in my years of teaching. The small atmosphere at Quincy College made it easy to meet people. I met many lasting friends there, and I am still in contact with many of them.

JOSEPH MERSCHMAN ’77

What role do you currently have in the family business? I am currently president and CEO of Merschman Seeds, Inc.

Did you start working at the business at a young age? I started working for the company when I was young. My least favorite job was cleaning out the last load of bulk soybeans from grower’s bins because you had to use a scoop shovel to feed the loading auger. It was dusty and hard work.

What are you proudest of as a family-owned business? That we followed our values and never compromised them – even if it meant losing a sale or making less margin.

How does your company’s work exemplify persistence? You have to be persistent in the seed business – it takes a lot of planning. For instance, our new soybean trait project took 20 years from concept to the sale of the first bag.

What is a favorite memory of QU? The business department was top notch. My favorite memories are with my friends. All of them have gone on to have had successful careers. It tells me Quincy College prepared us well for succeeding in life.

HENRY MERSCHMAN ’82

What role do you currently have in the family business? I am currently president and CEO of Merschman Fertilizer LLC.

Did you start working at the business at a young age? I had many jobs over the years. My favorite was driving a truck, and my least favorite was cleaning the pit.

What are you proudest of as a family-owned business? I am proud that we run our company with high ethics and morals. We are honest with our customers. Very few companies can say that today.

How does your company’s work exemplify persistence? Over the years, we have had ups and downs. When things are down, you tell yourself if this was easy, everyone would do it. You work through problems, make decisions to fix issues, and when they get corrected, there is a sense of accomplishment. Then it’s all worth it. It's rare today to have a small family company in business over 60 years.

What is a favorite memory of QU? I enjoyed meeting and making new friends at Quincy College. I will never forget my senior year living in a college house with seven other friends on “senior row.”

GEORGE MERSCHMAN ’84

What role do you currently have in the family business? I am on the board of Merschman Seeds, Inc. and president of Merschman Home Builders, Inc.

Did you start working at the business at a young age? I started hoeing weeds when I was 11 and began working in the warehouse loading trucks and running the bagging machine after school when I was 14. I was 17 when I started delivering seed to dealers, cleaned bins, and helped to build a new warehouse.

What are you proudest of as a family-owned business? I am very proud of my role model parents for all the sacrifices they made. It is a great achievement to have a family business survive for over 65 years.

How does your company’s work exemplify persistence? Every year seems to have new challenges. We keep up with technology, are aware of what our competition is doing, maintain great management, and provide superior service.

What is a favorite memory of QU? My favorite memories of QU are my friends. I still see and talk to some of them (40 years). I will never forget Dr. Richard Magilari, Dr. Len Biallas, and Dr. John Natalini for all the help and good advice.

BILL’S TIPS for Aspiring Business Owners

Be willing to change that is the key.

Stay on the leading edge.

Stay true to your core values no matter what happens.

Think long-term not short-term.

Plan, organize, and do your best.

Value customers. They are critical to your success.

Always ask for the business and send lots of thank you notes out.