Brooklyn / Iowa / United States
On January 20, 1975, Mike Thys began working at M&N Grain at Victor, Iowa. A long time employee, Leonard Van Hamme had fallen off a railroad car and broken his leg. Mike told the owner/manager Don Nowotny when he called looking for some help that he would be able to help out for a couple of days; after over fourteen years of employment later, working his way to assistant manager, Mike, in 1989 purchased Brooklyn Elevator, Inc of Brooklyn Iowa In 1973, Raymond Hopwood and Junie Manatt purchased from Carmen Johnson, Johnson Feed and Grain and started the corporation of Brooklyn Elevator, Inc Ray, referred to by most in the area as "Hop, " became the manager and built and grew the business. In 1983 the elevator in Guernsey was purchased from Wilder Grain and Guernsey was added as a second location. Hop continued until 1989, when he decided for health reasons that he needed to step down. Hop and Junie sold a small portion of the stock of the corporation to Mike Thys with the intent, by a purchase agreement, that Mike would become the sole owner. The original meeting was held on a Sunday morning, after 8: 00 Mass, in Junies office at Manatts. Junie sold the remainder of his stock to Hop in 1990 and Mike bought a full 25% of the outstanding shares from Hop. In 1992 Hop passed away from cancer and his surviving wife Janice made sure that Mike could continue as the sole owner of the company. Mike was not without his challenges at the onset with his purchase of the corporation. Grain quality was not very good and the equipment needed a lot of work. Getting grain quality under control and finding an economically feasible method to bring the equipment back into better operation while still being able to pay for the purchase made for some sleepless nights. Progress came slow with set-backs along the way. Little by little, with the help of good employees, the company progressed ahead. In 1997 Brooklyn Elevator along with a partner bought Rohrer Bros., Inc at Victor, a full service fertilizer and chemical company. In 2001, Rohrer Bros. bought Victor Oil Company from the previous owners of Rohrer Bros., Dick and Don Rohrer. In October of 2005, Rohrer Bros., Inc purchased all stock and interests of Rohrer Bros. & Victor Oil from Mikes partner, making Mike the sole owner of all three companies. Victor Oil expanded in the spring of 2007 by buying Plants Oil of of MalcomIA, and now operates bulk plants in Victor and Malcom. Mikes oldest son, Paul, joined the company in 1990 at the age of 10 years old. He began by mowing grass and as he grew, progressed through all of the outside duties at the elevator. After graduating, Paul joined the Rohrer group working his way up as an operator through various trucks, applicators, and sprayers. Paul still remains with the company today as manager of Rohrer Brothers, Inc Mikes second son, Adam, waited a little longer and came at the age of 12 doing odd jobs, mowing and general help until at the age of 13 he began helping at harvest on the weekends. Adam continued to progress learning the equipment and all associated outside duties. Adam, after graduating from college, remains with the company today as the outside manager of operations at the Brooklyn location. Daughter Ellen came to work at the age of 13 mowing grass, painting and running the scale at harvest on weekends. Ellens first summer of painting was mostly spent painting the new towers that company built for new bin construction. The towers we Ellens "favorite." While going to college Ellen worked at the elevator during the summers driving a truck, cleaning bins, and dumping grain. After graduating from college, Ellen now works for an independent full-service farming, elevator and fertilizer and chemical company in Rochelle, Illinois. Today, Brooklyn Elevator, Inc, Rohrer Bros., Inc, and Victor Oil are a family operated business as three separate companies but still as one company together, sharing labor and equipment. They have become a diversi
