|
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: Life Sciences
and Animal Health Advocate. The recent branding of the Kansas
City area as the Animal Health Corridor has brought a great deal of
focus to the area. Saint Joseph has a deep-rooted history with this
industry and embraces the efforts of Missouri, Kansas and Kansas
City Area Development Council (KCADC) as it continues to foster the
image of our region as the center for Animal health. The Institute
will continue to play an active role in this branding process by
remaining active with advertising and marketing efforts.
Animal Health and
Life Sciences in St. Joseph
Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica Inc (BIVI)
a division of Boehringer Ingelheim Corp. - The roots of this company
can be traced back to Anchor Serum and several other St. Joseph
firms. BIVI is part of a family owned international pharmaceutical
firm and is the North American headquarters of the animal health
branch of Boehringer Ingelheim. Vetmedica is the manufacturer of
innovator products for the animal health industry while employing
over 700 people in the St. Joseph and Elwood area.
Anchor Serum –
Started in 1911 but officially founded in 1917 by William True Davis
using W.F. Davis and Edgar A Poe’s support. The first focus was
True’s protection of his own hogs from cholera but quickly he was
supplying other regional hog producers with serum from hogs that had
survived cholera. From this auspicious start to a supplier of more
than 400 animal health products in the 1950’s Anchor serum was truly
an American company with an international presence all guided by the
Davis family. True Davis Jr. joined the firm in 1946 after returning
from WWII. True Jr. led the company to the great successes and the
eventual purchase by Philips. True Jr. returned to St Joseph after
many years of service to our country where he died in 2003.
The Davis family is reported to be one of the first families of
Missouri as Ishmael Davis was reported to have move to Missouri in
1837 where True Davis’ uncle R. True Davis was supposed to be the
first non-native American born in the former Indian territory. Later
True’s father William Franklin Davis was born in what is thought to
be Dearborn MO.
Other important Anchor people and notes include:
-
W.J. Kennedy –
1924 joined Anchor as a Sales Manager (Iowa State) Late became
V.P. of Sales.
-
True Davis Jr. (USTTA
connection and Harry Truman supporter). USTTA = United States
Table Tennis Association (1939-1941).
-
Fred Murdoch –
joined Anchor in 1941 and served many years with the company
until 1961.
-
James Bradley –
joined Anchor in 1952 and was still President in 1966.
-
Wes Remington
(1956) Joined Anchor Serum and in 1960 became Sales Manager.
This Football Player from NE Missouri State seemed to have
inside view of how things could happen in the animal health
world.
-
Anchor Serum was
purchased by Philips Electric Company in 1959. The company
eventually took the name Philips Roxane. Philips Roxane was part
of an international conglomerate know as N.V. Philips.
-
Philips Roxane,
Inc. was purchased, merged and liquidated into B.I.V.G. and
subsequently re-named Philips Roxane, Inc in 1981.
-
In 1984 Anchor
Laboratories was merged in Philips Roxane, Inc.
-
In 1984 the name
was changed to Boehringer Ingelheim Animal Health Inc.
-
In 1996 Fermenta
Animal Health Company was merged into BIVI.
-
In 1998 the name
was changed to the Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica, Inc.
-
In 1999 Nobl
Laboratories was merged into Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica,
Inc.
UPCO (1952) –
Formed by Anchor Serum former executives and employees Fred Murdoch,
Jim Pooley and Charles Tye Evans in 1952 as United Pharmacal Company
Inc (UPCO). A west coast branch was sold in 1979 to the employees
which later became PETCO.
Medco- Med Tech – Tech America 1971 - Fermenta Merged into
BIVI (1998)
Butler Sales Associates founded 1977 – An animal health
distribution and sales organization was started by Bob Butler in
1977. Bob was hired by Wes in 1975 to work with Med Tech. Currently
the company is being run by Bob and Judy’s son Brad.
Star Labs – Forage Research Inc. founded in 1974 by Gary
Jones, Cliff Boyer and Dr Linn. The company makes probiotic, direct
fed, microbial additives for livestock feed.
Biozyme, Inc. Originally formed as Ehlert’s Feeds Supply in
1952 by Larry Ehlert. In 1968 purchased the rights for making the
ruminant digestion products and became Biozyme. In 1980 they
purchased Peet’s Feeds and continues these operations today. The
current President is Bob Norton and they are an ESOP.
Agrilabs. Founded in 1984 by a group of Animal Health
Distributors and Tech America. In 1987 Tech America sold its share
back to the other partners. Agrilabs’ President and CEO is Steve
Schram and is one of the largest animal health distribution network in the
US today.
VEDCO. Founded in 1988 by Craig Campbell – Vedco is an animal
health distribution organization.
DT Search and Designs. Formed in 2002 by Bill Junk, Dean
Thompson and Wes Remington.
IVX Animal Health – (a Division of TEVA Pharmaceuticals)
Purchased Phoenix Scientific in 2005. Phoenix Scientific founded
1990 by Wes Remington and partners. Phoenix received its first ANADA
in 1994, purchased the Ft Dodge facility in 2000 and was sold to
Leonard Greene and partners in 2002. IVX purchased PSI in 2005 and
IVX was acquired by TEVA in 2006.
Phoenix Pharmaceutical. Founded in 1986 by Wes Remington and
several partners including Max Baker, JA Webster Company, AJ Buck
Company, Midwest Vet Supply and Intermountain Vet Supply. The
current President is Kevin Speltz. A rather striking likeness of Wes
can be found in the Boardroom at Phoenix. Phoenix is animal health
distribution company.
Nestle Purina. Started operations in St Joseph about 1974 as
the Carnation Co/Friskies division. Nestle acquired the Carnation
Company in 1985 and in 2001 Nestle acquired Ralston Purina giving
rise to the current name (Nestle Purina). The Product Technology
Center and the Packers Avenue factory are still operational and have
seen many upgrades and changes over the years. The company recently
announced plans to expand again in 2007-2008.
Becker-Underwood. Founded in 1982 by Jeff Becker and Roger
Underwood. The company creates and produces specialty bio-agronomic
and colorant products. In 2002 the company acquired Urbana
Laboratories and Custom Fermentation of St Joseph. The current Plant
Manager is Chris Feiden.
Other Animal
Health and Life Sciences in St. Joseph
| Bartlett Grain and Milling |
Lifeline Foods and ICM |
Ag Processing, Inc. |
| MFA Incorporated |
Ameri-pac, Inc. |
Triumph Foods |
| Sara Lee |
Heartland Health |
Herschel J. Gaddy &
Associates |
| American Angus |
USAHA |
Casey Products Inc. |
| Process Innovations |
Hillyard |
CIA Laboratories |
|
