Remarks by Senator Chuck Grassley of Iowa
Tribute to Eugene Sukup
Thursday, July 19, 2018
Mr. President, I come to the floor today to recognize an agricultural innovator, inventor, and dear friend – Eugene Sukup.
Eugene’s is the quintessential bootstrap American success story.
After settling in Iowa during the Dust Bowl and serving his nation as a sergeant in the National Guard, Eugene made his living as a farmer, earning the title of Franklin County Outstanding Farmer in 1962.
While working on his farm, he observed that pockets of grain and corn housed in storage bins overheated and spoiled. Understanding the breadth of the problem for farmers across the country, he was determined to find a solution.
And he did.
Through trial and error, along with gritty determination and ingenuity, Eugene came up with the Stirway Stirring Machine. The innovative technology automated the process of stirring stored grain and corn and became an instant success among his fellow farmers. Eugene patented his invention and founded the Sukup Manufacturing Co. in 1963.
Through my years holding annual meetings in each of Iowa’s 99 counties, Sukup Manufacturing from time to time hosted the meeting in Franklin County. After a tour of the factory floor, I always enjoyed the open Q&A sessions to hear what’s on the minds of my constituents. By words and deeds, it is clear that Sukup Manufacturing is a great place to work and a devoted contributor to the local community and global philanthropy.
Fifty-five years later, Sukup Manufacturing Co. holds over 80 patents and sells its products in more than 85 countries. It remains the largest family-owned, full-line grain system manufacturer, employing more than 700 employees.
Eugene’s pioneering invention contributed to the success of tens of thousands of farming operations, allowing farmers to safely store their grain on their farms to capture the best market price. We have Sukup grain bins on my own family farm in Northeast Iowa. His ingenuity is a perfect example of the opportunity America’s economic system gives people with ideas and drive.
His legacy spans Iowa’s landscape from the Mississippi to the Missouri river banks and reaches beyond our borders. Sukup Manufacturing stepped up to reconfigure grain bins into housing units for hurricane-ravaged Haiti. The units withstand 140 miles per hour winds providing a safe habitat for residents.
In 2006, Eugene was inducted into the Iowa Inventors Hall of Fame and received the Outstanding Innovation Award by the American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers. He was inducted into the Iowa Business Hall of Fame in 2011 and was named a Legend in Manufacturing by Elevate Advanced Manufacturing in 2015.
The Sukup family business, through Eugene and its leaders, has been a constant voice for job creation and opportunity. His contributions to manufacturing, agriculture and the rural economy will be an asset to farmers and the agriculture community for generations to come. It’s amazing to think of what can happen in rural and small towns throughout the country thanks to the successful enterprise that Eugene represents.
Throughout our decades long friendship, I’ve admired his relentless work ethic and unwavering commitment to community and family. His civil, political and community leadership sets a very high bar for the rest of us.
Eugene was an American innovator, inventor and great friend. He will be greatly missed. May God Bless him and his beloved family.
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