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Officials at NEO announced the Jurgensmeyer family as the recipient of this year’s Award of Merit. Traditionally recognized in coordination with NEO Football Homecoming, NEO is planning to recognize this year’s honorees during a spring 2021 ceremony. The Jurgensmeyer family has been a constant supporter of NEO through their family-owned businesses, JM Farms, Miami Industrial Supply, and Service Solutions, Inc.
After being tasked with managing all of Ralston Purina company’s mushroom farms east of the Mississippi River, Virgil, and his business partner, Darrell McLain, started JM Farms in 1979. Since 1982, the company has been wholly owned by the Jurgensmeyer family, with Curtis serving as the CEO and Pat serving as the President. Their brother Terry has also developed a successful Miami-area businesses in Miami Industrial Supply and Service Solutions Inc.
Through these businesses and private support, the Jurgensmeyer family has supported NEO through the donation of resources, expertise, land, and more. Most recently, the Jurgensmeyer family coordinated with the NEO Agriculture Department to donate land upon which to build an NEO greenhouse. Additionally, JM Farms managers established the Marge Jurgensmeyer Memorial Scholarship in 2015.
Outside of NEO, the Jurgensmeyer family has given hundreds of thousands of dollars to local causes, such as Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA), the American Legion, the Harbor Mission, Bright Futures, and many more. “The members of the Jurgensmeyer family have been loyal supporters and ambassadors of NEO for many years, so it is truly an honor to name them the 2020 Award of Merit recipient,” said Jennifer Walker, executive director of the NEO Development Foundation. “From endowing scholarships and supporting the Ag Department, to supporting athletics programs and the Presidential Partners program, the Jurgensmeyers have shown generous support all across campus and have impacted countless students.” For more information, contact Jordan Adams at Jordan.m.adams@neo.edu.
