Fertilizer industry leader Joseph Sullivan, 73, passed away Sept. 27 in Chicago after a lengthy battle with cancer. Sullivan’s career cut a broad swath across the fertilizer industry. He was the retired chairman of IMC Global Inc., which later merged with The Mosaic Co. He was also a co-founder, CEO, and chairman of The Vigoro Co., which later merged with IMC. He was a scholarship student to Harvard, and also held an MBA from that school.
Sullivan friend Ed Wheeler credited Sullivan with acquiring a large potash producer in Canada, nitrogen facilities in East Dubuque, Ill., and phosphate facilities in Florida. “He mastered the art of managing large numbers of retail operations in the Midwest and Southeast,” said Wheeler. “It was generally believed that a large producer couldn’t operate retail outlets and at the same time be a substantial producer of the three elements of the fertilizer industry. He proved the ‘doubting Thomas’s’ wrong.”
Wheeler noted that Sullivan served as TFI chairman during President Richard Nixon’s ill-fated wage and price control edict. “The strain of these regulations nearly disrupted the entire global trading structure, and his knowledge and finesse led to the fertilizer industry being the first industry in the United States to be deregulated.”
Wheeler and others last week attested to Sullivan’s legendary loyalty and friendship.
Visitation will be held Oct. 3 from 4-7 pm at Old St. Patrick’s Church in Chicago, with a 7 p.m. Mass. Sullivan is survived by his wife, Jeanne, three children, and seven grandchildren. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to one of his many favorite charities, The American Refugee Committee at 430 Oak Grove St., Ste. 204, Minneapolis, Minn. 55403. See www.archq.org.
Helm Fertilizer Corp. has announced that Michael Peyton, formerly with Terra Industries Inc. has joined Helm in its Tampa office. Peyton will be responsible for all purchasing and sales activities related to Helm’s fertilizer terminal business in Memphis, Tenn., Helena and Little Rock, Ark., and Cincinnati, Ohio.