FROM LIFTING FREIGHT TO TRANSPORTING PEOPLE; DENVER’S SCHUMACHER ELEVATOR CO. EARNS IOWA FARM BUREAU’S ENTREPRENEUR OF MONTH AWARD

WEST DES MOINES, IOWA – Feb. 23, 2011 – Schumacher Elevator Co.’s roots sprung from agriculture and rural Iowa. It started in 1936 with a custom-made lift for feed bags and chicken crates designed by William Schumacher and his son, Elmer. Today, the Schumacher Elevator Co., the Renew Rural Iowa Entrepreneur of the Month award winner, manufactures a complete line of custom-designed and standard elevator systems and components in its Denver facility.

“In the late 1990’s, we built the building we are in now,” said Marvin Schumacher, president of the company. “We’ve now come into the growth area of the company; in fact, we’re about four times the size we were when we moved in here.”

For 25 years, the company manufactured freight elevators, lifting platforms and dumbwaiters before evolving to cabs and power units to move people. The company is family owned with the fourth generation of Schumachers, Je, joining the company in 1993. Schumacher Elevator Co. employs 180 people, with 90 employees working in Denver. The company has 5,000 elevators in service around the world.

“They’re a unique organization,” said Joe Papp of the Center for Industrial Research and Service, who nominated the company for the award. “They’ve done a lot for the community and have been instrumental in bringing the library and athletic facility to this area. Even in tough times, there were very few layoffs (there) because as times changed, they changed with the times to keep this company strong.”

Renew Rural Iowa (RRI) is an Iowa Farm Bureau Federation (IFBF) initiative that supports new and existing businesses in Iowa’s small towns through business education, mentoring and financial resources. RRI supports and participates in a variety of economic development organizations and events throughout the year, including EntreFest, an education and networking event for small business owners and aspiring entrepreneurs at the Hotel Julien in Dubuque Feb. 24 - 25. For more information or to register for the event, go to www.entrefest.com.

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