what began as a single grain elevator and one man’s dream has grown into a publicly traded company with diverse interests that include agribusinesses such as grain and plant nutrients as well as railcar leasing and repair, industrial products formulation, turf products, retailing and most recently, ethanol operations. the premise of the original organization, founded by harold anderson and his family, was to make it as easy as possible for regional farmers to take their corn to market. the business model of serving others, primarily the customer, is the foundation on which the company was built. today, throughout all of the andersons' business endeavors, the company and its nearly 3,000 employees are committed to providing extraordinary service with the utmost integrity.