THE PAPER of Wabash County, Inc. www.thepaperofwabash.com
September 28, 2011
Pefley’s Farm Equipment continues investment in Wabash County
THE NEW WASH BAY at Pefley’s Farm Equipment is nearing completion after being rebuilt where the former shop once stood. (photo by Brent Swan) PEFLEY’S FARM EQ UIPMENT any size of will also in equipment. clude a dri (photo by ve thru au Brent Swa ction ring we needed to make business for several by Brent Swan n) big enough to handle After separate fires the investment we years.” After initially work- hit with one of the the machinery busidestroyed two of the did,” David said. Even after attendPefley’s Farm The two buildings ing alongside Alford, worst markets since ness, and I didn’t ing the farm sales, or Kraft Foods, David Equipment outbuild- under construction at Bob was urged to start the Great Depression. think I wanted to David still wasn’t con- was surprised to hear ings, owners Bob and this time, a state-of- his own business. the farm the university’s num“In 1988, I had drive, so I went to col- vinced “Roy was quite a bit enough of the farm lege at Tri-State for a machinery business ber one hiring source David Pefley were left the-art wash facility with two options – and a future drive older than me; I was a machinery business year and another year was his true calling. at the time was Pizza take the insurance thru auction ring, younger guy and so I started trucking,” and a half at IPFW,” “It wasn’t until Hut Restaurants. money and scale the offer the Pefleys a wanted to do things Bob said. “Eventually, David said. “During after I met with my “I knew then what I business back a bit, or chance to continue fast, and Roy wanted Dave got the urge to that time I began to go college guidance wanted to do,” David to make an invest- the line of succession to take it slower,” Bob get back into the busi- to farm sales on the counselor that I real- said. ment into the future started with David’s said. “He told me that ness, so we did.” David originally weekends for guys ized I was going to do I should go into busiand continue to grow father, Bob. David, a 1990 high dad used to do busi- this. At the time, they started small; the first as the company has “I got out of the ness by myself, and school graduate, ness with, and I real- were advertising that sale totaled about 150 since it began in 1955. service in the spring that he’d help me do admitted he didn’t ized I could make the university had a pieces of machinery, “I’ve got four chil- of 1955, and I started that.” want to join the busi- pretty good money 100 percent job place- and was held in conBob would go on to ness straight out of doing this if you are ment rate after gradu- junction dren, including three Pefley’s that sumwith boys, and at some mer,” Bob said. “It run Pefley’s Farm high school. S c h r a d e r willing to work hard ating college.” point in the future I’d was originally south Equipment until the and Expecting the likes Auctioneering “At that time I had and knew about the like them to get of Dora, where Roy late 1980’s, when the no clue what I wanted equipment you were of an Eli Lilly, Re a l E s t a t e o u t o f involved so I decided Alford had ran his farming economy was to do. Dad was out of dealing with.” Johnson and Johnson (continued on page 31)