Craig Williams joins family company

Renze Hybrids, Inc.,a family owned, independent seed company located near Carroll, Iowa, has hired Craig Williams to serve as operations manager. In this newly created role, Williams will assume many of the day-to-day responsibilities handled by Renze’s patriarch, Cyril Renze, who is moving into a very active semi-retirement at the youthful age of 81.

“The Renzes needed somebody to fill the hole created by Cyril’s decision to scale back,” Williams noted. “I am quite confident I can fill the hole but not fill Cyril’s shoes. I can take some of the responsibilities off his hands and am honored to do so.”

Tim Renze, general manager of the company, said they were looking for someone with knowledge of their trade territory, the seed industry, strong skills in technology, and a shared commitment to serving their customers well. “Craig brings all of the assets we were looking for to Renze Hybrids,” Renze stated. “As Dad retires, we will continue our tradition of offering the seed our customers need and want. Looking forward, we plan to grow our sales dramatically and Craig will be an important part of that growth.”

Williams comes to Renze Hybrids with a broad range of experience in the seed industry. He was most recently director of Midwest operations/general manager for Lawhon Midwest, LLC where he ran the day-to-day operations of Stauffer Seeds. Under his direction the company grew corn sales 63 percent in three years and a successful soybean product line was introduced. He has also worked for Channel Bio (Midwest Seed Genetics) and Garst previously.

“Renze Hybrids has a lot of the same belief structures I have as far as taking care of their customers first and making sure the quality of the product they put in the bag is second to none,” Williams observed. “In fact, at Renzes, it goes a step further because the family puts their name on every bag of seed they sell. Their reputation, integrity, and success depend upon their customers’ success.”

There’s no Mr. Monsanto, no Mr. Syngenta, no Mr. Golden Harvest, Williams stated. There is a Mr. Renze. In fact there are three Mr. Renzes involved in every aspect of the business. Now Williams joins the family as part of the senior management team.

“I have enjoyed the involvement the Renzes have allowed me,” Williams remarked. “They are extremely open and want my perspective on the business. I appreciate their confidence and look forward to helping tell the Renze story – one their customers already know.”

Renze offers corn and soybean seed with all the technological traits available from quad stacked corn to Vistive soybeans and everything in between. Yet Williams says that doesn’t tell the whole story. “Too many companies talk only about traits and not genetics,” he explained. “Good traits on bad germplasm are not what our customers need. You must have the right combination of events occur for success. Renze is very devoted to having the right traits on the right genetics. Then the sales staff and our agronomist work with the customer to place this seed where it will provide the greatest return on investment for the grower.”

As he settles into his new role at Renze Hybrids, Williams plans to conduct a thorough analysis of what’s working and what’s not. In doing so, he will look at all aspects of the business from the perspective of his co-workers and Renze customers. “I hope to accentuate all the positives at Renze Hybrids,” he said. “In my first few weeks I see how sound this business is. It’s extremely honestly and ethically managed. One of my highest priorities is to spread the secret that is Renze seed.”

Tim Renze says their company is ready to tell their story. “We will be working with Craig to make more people in the upper Midwest aware of our products and our dedication to providing excellent corn hybrids and soybean varieties to our customers each year,” he observed. “My family plants these products as well as our friends and neighbors. We won’t put anything in a Renze bag we wouldn’t plant ourselves.”

In addition to his experience in the seed industry, Williams also worked for The Thermos Company, Newell Companies, as well as Arthur Anderson & Company. He is a graduate of Bradley University with a degree in operations management and information systems.