Alex McGehee - Featured Farmer

Alex McGehee's father Allen was still in high school when he started in the building trades. Allen started building houses in high school, taking on a couple each summer all the way through college. Based in Silvis, IL, Allen eventually purchased and warehoused more and more supplies for his burgeoning construction business. As sometimes happens in small towns when one builder has a lot of inventory and others are looking to buy, a lumberyard is opened. So, in 1971 Allen McGehee got out of the building business to focus on running the lumberyard full time.

The rest, as Alex says, is history. As far back as he can remember, Alex wanted to work with his dad in the lumberyard. When he got out of college in 1981, he did exactly that, working alongside his father until buying him out.

“All of my youngest memories are at the family business I grew up in,” Alex says. “I never really thought about doing anything else.”

Growing up working for his father, Alex had every possible job available at the company. He says it was all great training while he worked for the family business all through high school and college.

When Allen McGehee passed away in May at the age of 87, it was an opportunity to reflect on how far the company has come since its founding in 1962—and to understand and appreciate how they’ve stayed true to their vision and remained rooted in the qualities that have helped them succeed. His father’s foundation of providing quality products and outstanding service remains the focus for Alex and his team—and it’s the primary reason the company has grown to be the community anchor it is today.

Now in his early 60s, Alex is working alongside his son, Sam, in the lumberyard business and his daughter, Courtney, in a property management company he also owns. Though his children are capable business managers in their own right, Alex isn’t even close to handing over the reins any time soon.

“I see myself being involved in all aspects of all the different businesses for as long as I’m able,” he says. “I really like going to work every day.” ~ Read full piece HERE from LBM Journal ~