Ranco Fertiservice CEO Recalls Rise from Historic Flood
Jeff Christians ’97 grateful for residents, volunteers who assisted in wake of 2024 flood
Two years ago, floodwaters from the Little Sioux River rushed through the heart of Sioux Rapids in northern Buena Vista County, destroying buildings and impacting lives. Jeff Christians, a 1997 Buena Vista University graduate who serves as CEO for Ranco Fertiservice Inc., of Sioux Rapids, noted how he couldn’t see a figurative path forward.
“From Ranco’s perspective, I will never forget the overwhelming feeling I had when I was able to enter our facilities for the first time after floodwaters retreated in June 2024,” Christians says. “At the time, I couldn’t envision a path to recovery.”
Three of Ranco’s eight buildings in Sioux Rapids were severely damaged by more than 40 inches of floodwater. Operations ceased for two days. When Ranco’s 100 employees returned to work, everyone spent a week washing buildings, cleaning inventory that could be salvaged, then discarding anything Mother Nature destroyed.
The impact was valued in excess of $3 million for new equipment, lost raw materials, inventory, office equipment, tools, labor and materials for cleanup and repair, and the outsourcing of part fabrication, a necessary step to continue production as Ranco worked to meet the needs of clients throughout the ag industry.
“I will be forever humbled by the efforts of our team.”
-Jeff Christians ’97, Ranco Fertiservice CEO
Founded in 1961, Ranco remains a premier manufacturer and innovator of dry fertilizer blending and handling equipment.
Christians’ initial feeling of despair was replaced with a sense of pride as Ranco team members joined hundreds, if not thousands, of residents and visitors in working to reclaim what the Little Sioux River had temporarily taken. At Ranco, employees worked tirelessly without complaint and accomplished a herculean clean-up effort within days.
“I will be forever humbled by the efforts of our team,” Christians said.
Other businesses and individuals across the region offered assistance to help keep Ranco’s production moving despite the fact many of its fabrication machines had been destroyed. Ranco also outsourced key production areas that allowed the company to produce equipment and deliver on commitments to customers throughout the United States, Canada, Mexico, Europe, Africa, and Australia.
Christians said Ranco grew ever stronger as a result of the disaster and now remains poised to continue positive trends, hallmarks of a firm that has seen its workforce increase from 70 to 100 in the past two decades. Sales during that time have grown by 2.5 times.
“Having dealt with a global pandemic, a major supply chain disruption, and a never-before-seen flood, we now look forward to being able to fully concentrate on our business,” said Christians. “Technological changes will continue to provide opportunities, both in the attributes of the products we manufacture as well as how we manufacture those products.”
For Christians and his wife, Lisa, life is good in Lisa’s hometown, Sioux Rapids, where they’ve chosen to raise two sons, coaching them in youth sports and more.
Jeff Christians, a sprinter as a Beaver undergraduate and part of a record 4X400-meter relay team in 1996 (joined by Chad Hisler ‘97, Brian Schmalbeck ‘99 and Henry Johnson ‘98 in recording a time of 3:15.65), began his career at Principal Financial Group. He earned a Masters in Business Administration at Drake University in 2001 and continued his ascent with Principal Financial Group, researching corporate bonds in Principal’s Institutional Asset Management Division.
Fourteen years ago, he and Lisa moved to Sioux Rapids to embrace opportunities found within Ranco as Jeff, then Chief Financial Officer, assisted with the company’s change in ownership from a sole proprietorship to 100-percent employee owned through an Employee Stock Ownership Plan. He continues to work each day with Ranco President/Chief Operating Officer Nate Wittmaack.
He also continues to connect with his alma mater, lending support and encouragement at every turn. “I support Buena Vista because I know I wouldn’t be where I am today without the education and experiences BVU provided,” Christians said. “BVU opened a lot of opportunities for me, and I want BVU to remain strong and vibrant, so future generations continue to have those opportunities.
“As a local business leader, we support BVU because having top-notch educational institutions in the area makes the entire region stronger. For us, BVU’s Institute for Agriculture represents an important program in helping to educate and while keeping talented local students with agriculture backgrounds within the region,” he concluded.