On September 1st, Bob Reinders is celebrating his 90th birthday. It is an incredible and inspiring personal achievement and warrants a closer look at Bob’s involvement and impact at Reinders.
Many of you know Bob but you may not know the extent to which he influenced the trajectory of Reinders over the past 60+ years. You cannot fully understand the Reinders company story without understanding Bob’s impact.
Bob’s first day at Reinders was April 15, 1959, and he never looked back. Over the years, he was a pacesetter for others in the organization. No one cared more about the success of both our customers and employees than Bob.
As he proudly carried the company name, he possessed a serious drive to ensure Reinders reached it’s potential, continually exploring and evaluating opportunities for market and product growth. Through his strong negotiating skills, there was no question that he was getting Reinders the most out of our deals with our vendor partners.
In 1971, Bob played a pivotal role in securing the Toro distributorship which remains a significant part of our business today. He was (and still is) a grass seed guru, and heavily involved in establishing our partnership with Morton salt products, consumer power equipment, wild bird feed, and retail garden supplies.
As General Manager, Bob was instrumental in transitioning the company from its days in the feed business to the commercial turf markets. He had a tough, competitive spirit and was determined to stay one step ahead of others in the industry. In the early 90’s, Bob assumed the role of President from his father, Roland.
As he said in a 1985 interview, “I think our competitors would tell you that we\’re aggressive. We’re hungry and I think we see some of our competition not being as hungry as they once were.”
He is incredibly proud of the Reinders legacy. It has brought him great joy to see his family continue to take the business to new heights. Bob continues to serve on the Board of Directors and holds an active role as grass seed category advisor.
In 1955, the company had 20 employees. In 1985, it had grown to 125, and today, Reinders proudly employs over 200 hard-working staff members. Without Bob’s contributions over the past 90 years, Reinders would not be where we are today.
As was true on his first day in 1959 as it is now, the success of Reinders is built on hard-working and dedicated employees, industry relationships, and a passion for providing unmatched customer service.
Here’s to Bob’s 90th and all he’s done for the Reinders family!
Happy Birthday!