Class of 2023

Raymond L. Dorley had a farm on Bowman Road where he raised 100-150 cattle a year and farmed about 300 acres. He was a livestock buyers for Lima Packing Company, traveling around the area purchasing cattle and hogs from local farmers. After Lima Packing Company closed around 1954, he, three other employees, and his son, Raymond B. Dorley, entered into a new business, Pride of Lima Provision Company. Both father and son continued buying livestock from area farmers for the new company. Raymond L. Dorley and his partner, Gerald Rone, purchased a small local meat market, P.C. Dirmeyer & Sons in 1964. This is now known as Keystone Brand Meats, which carries on the Dorley Tradition with two additional generations. Dave Dorley, CEO and Peter Dorley, President, are the son, grandson and great-grandson of the nominees. Keystone Meats is still purchasing cattle from many of the same families Raymond L.  and Raymond B. Dorley formed relationships with nearly 100 years ago, contributing to a vibrant market for local farmers.

For over 45 years Gary Jackson’s name has been synonymous with agricultural and farm broadcasting in Allen County – a former farm broadcaster and Ag-Director with WIMA/WIMT Radio and the Ohio Ag Net, Gary is retired, but is still broadcasting, doing video work for In Ohio Country Today. In his busiest time (during WIM/WIMT radio days) Gary could be seen at every major event in the county and was a prominent figure at the Allen County Fairgrounds. His reporting included live remotes from various locations in the county and the state on issues and topics that directly affected ag producers and ag businesses on a daily basis. Gary has always been a firm supporter of farming youth, FFA and 4H organizations and has contributed countless hours in promoting their endeavors. His history of Allen County agriculture and those businesses and producers who are a part of it is beyond reproach. Gary maintains a level of reverence among those in the industry as a true master and professional who believes and loves the agricultural community and the farms and farming families that make it great.

Nobody knows farmland in and around Allen County like Ron Spencer. His knowledge of yields, soil types and drainage comes from decades of running his own farm and selling countless farms. Ron was raised on a 200 acre farm just north of Waynesfield in Auglaize County. From the age of 6, he was running tractors and milking cows (as a businessman years later, he still won the milking contest at the Allen County Fair several years!) He and his wife Sue were married in 1964, and moved to Allen County where his love of all things agricultural continued. In 1972, Ron became a licensed Realtor, combining his passion for farmland and his natural talent as a salesman. He started Ron Spencer Real Estate in 1975, with a special interest in selling farmland. Ron quickly began buying real estate and farming himself. He often recollects about the tough times of farming, but he never gave up his dream. He personally farmed thousands of acres until he moved from owner/operator to owner/manager of the farmland in 2002. Ron’s career has spanned the test of time, and the rise and fall of crop and farmland prices. Ron knows that the most important part of reaching of your goals is persistence, and if you’ve ever met him, you know exactly how persistent he can be!

H.G. Violet Equipment is owned by Howard and Lora Violet. Howard’s grandfather, Charles Violet, came to Delphos from central Ohio around 1930. Charles and his wife, Helen, were Ohio State graduates in Ag Education and Home Economics respectively. Delphos was where Charles took a job with Swift and Company, a meat packer from Cleveland, as a buyer of local livestock. Around 1945, Charles started his own stockyard (C.O. Violet) as a private dealer of cattle, hogs and sheep in the company’s present location. Subsequently, he acquired an International Harvester Truck, Tractor, Implement and Appliance dealership in 1954 (C.O. Violet Sales). In 1963, his son Robert W. Violet and his wife, Norma, assumed ownership in 1963 and the company was renamed Violet Implement Sales, Inc. Robert also constructed a new custom blend dry fertilizer plant in Delphos in 1963 down the street from the ag dealership. He developed private label “Violet Brand Plant Food” bag fertilizer as well as selling chemicals, 28% and 82% anhydrous ammonia. Howard Violet grew up in and around the family businesses as well as helping with the family’s beef cattle operation during his school years. Upon graduation from Ohio State in 1980, Howard joined the family business full time. The business expanded in 1988 with the addition of the New Hampshire, Ohio store. Howard later started H.G. Violet, Inc., his own truck and tractor business in 1996 at the original Delphos location.