Pontiac business owner retires after 45 in the farm implement industry

What do you do when you make the decision to change your status from working businessman to happily retired? Many take vacations, spend more time with family, do things to keep busy.

That's what John Kelly has in mind as he adapts to life as a member of the retired community.

Kelly called it a career earlier this summer as he stepped away from day-to-day duties as co-owner of Prairie State Tractor. He recently experienced a cruise along the northeastern coast of the United States and into Canada.

Breaking into the business

Kelly grew up on a farm north of Cornell with his brothers Tom and Tim. Tom still farms and Tim is a co-owner of Prairie State Tractor. John worked at Valley View Acres from age 10 until the Gardner Sales and Service opportunity arrived. He graduated from Cornell High School in 1970 and earned a degree in Ag Economics from the University of Illinois.

One of the people familiar with the Kelly farm was Delbert Gardner, owner of Gardner Implement in Pontiac. It was this connection that helped get Kelly into the implement business.

“He wanted us to learn the business from the ground up,” Kelly said of Gardner. “The idea was for me to start in the shop, which I did working on combines, planters and that sort of thing. Tim was supposed to come back as a tractor mechanic, learn the service side, maybe move into parts and eventually into sales and ownership.”

Gardner had approached the Kelly family regarding getting involved, and eventually owning, Gardner Implement. The idea was to buy out Gardner and partner with Roger Edwards, who was already part owner of the business.

In 1978, John Kelly made that jump. Tim Kelly was at school studying to become a mechanic.

However, an accident claimed the life of Edwards in 1979, making the transition a bit swifter than originally anticipated. John Kelly said Gardner saved the day.

“He basically helped us buy the business,” Kelly said.

A few years later, Gardner passed away and the Kelly's basically purchased the business from the estate. There was one other partner as Gardner's widow, Isabelle, maintained an interest.

'It basically saved lives.'

Having a farming background really worked for Kelly as he worked toward building the business. He said he was able to help out his brother, Tom, in the fields from time to time and this paid off by learning more about the products he was selling.

“For me, it's always been fun to go out and run the equipment,” Kelly said. “Keeping up with the technology was a big thing as a salesman when I was selling. I could actually talk intelligently about (a matter or a situation). I think being able to operate the equipment (was important). But the technology has grown so much, it's hard for the salesman to keep up.”

Kelly has seen a lot of developments in his 45 years in the business. One such development was the creation of the cozy cab, where the operator was no longer having to sit on a seat in the elements. He was now protected.

The downside, according to Kelly, was that the cozy cab was very loud, which led to the development of the sound-guard body cab. Kelly said this made the cab more comfortable and helped in saving the operator's hearing.

“The sound-guard body cab was a great improvement for our customers,” Kelly said. “It basically saved lives. Now, they aren't breathing all that dust and dirt and pesticides, insecticides and all that. Now they're in a closed environment that's good.”

Staying in the family

When Kelly first arrived, Gardner's had 12 to 14 employees. Kelly said there are now more than 30 just at Pontiac. He noted that having people like Mel Rinkenberger and Bill Kallas on hand was important in growth.

“We're fortunate to have outstanding customers to work with,” Kelly said. “Secondly, we have a great employee base. We've been fortunate to be able to hire employees and they stay with us. We've been fortunate to hire a great group of people and to have been able to keep them. That's the reason the business has grown, because of our customer base and because we have great employees.”

The next generation is preparing to take the reins. Kelly said he has sold his shares in the business to his son, Paul. Down the road, he said Tim will be selling his shares to his son, Ryan, and his son-in-law.

Kelly will be looking to enjoy his retirement with his wife, Susanne, children, grandchildren, traveling and spending more time in Florida.

This article originally appeared on Pontiac Daily Leader: Prairie State Tractor owner John Kelly retires after 45 years