Hans Gunter Mecking was one of those mass in the green manufacture who , if you make out him , you know he was salt of the earth . He knew the meaning of hard work and valued the relationships he built over a lifetime make side by side growers . Gunter had an impeccable reputation and his committedness to honesty and custom solutions for each and every one of his customer was well known .
It is not surprising , then , that his protagonist and family recently banded together to produce a survive tribute to Gunter . Partnering with the Horticultural Research Institute , Gunter ’s family and fellow established the Gunter Mecking Memorial Scholarship , benefit green manufacture students who aim to the same timbre that made Gunter so special : hard piece of work , honesty , and commitment to the manufacture .
A peat moss journeyGunter was a fable in the industry , specifically for his body of work in bring peat moss solution to North America . agree to his long - time colleague and friend K.C. Browne , “ no one understood the function of peat moss better than Gunter Mecking . ”
Gunter was born in the early 1930s in Klein Reken , Germany , and grew up during World War II . A staph infection he cut in his teenager kept him out of combat in the war and instead land him in the hospital Aaron Montgomery Ward for long menstruation of time . According to his daughter , Maria , he was in a full - body cast for 16 calendar month during one stay . The struggle of Gunter ’s youth prepared him with the decision and gumption that made him a stand - out professional in the green industry .
Gunter ’s mob had a peat moss business in Germany with ties to Klasmann - Deilmann . When he was near 30 yr previous , Gunter became interested in produce the family business and travel to Canada in search of a positioning for his peat bog .
He landed on a spot in Tabusintac , New Brunswick , Canada , and set up shop to develop a peat bog and business with his first cousin , Bernd Georg Mecking , under the name Heveco . Heveco became the first Canadian peat moss producer to offer commercially useable mixes , and it is still in operation today under the ownership of the Scotts Company .
“ He provided so many jobs in that tiny little townspeople , ” say Gunter ’s daughter Maria Nilles . “ That trivial town was basically fish in the summertime and then drag log for lumber , so there were n’t very many job in that sphere . He brought in 20 - 25 jobs , or peradventure more . ”
Gunter supply much of the peat moss from the New Brunswick factory to the J - M Trading Corporation in Chicago , Illinois . J - M Trading was run by Gunter ’s uncle , John Mecking . After several years of building the business in New Brunswick , Gunter be active his wife and two kids to Chicago in the early seventies to do work in sales for his uncle John ’s business .
Gunter had some preparation in account but none in the peat business , but he was extroverted and he knew his intersection and client .
“ He was the type of person that people wanted to be around , ” said his daughter Maria . “ They desire to hear him tattle . ”
Gunter was an excellent salesman and he was incredible with numbers . This giving enabled him to pack peat moss delivery truck with extreme efficiency . It was one of his many skills .
Gunter was most passionate about hear to his customers to find out on the nose what they needed , and then deliver . As farsighted - prison term customer Peter Orum recalled , one year there was a shortage of peat moss and business throughout the industry on being capable to get the merchandise .
“ I called Gunter and he separate me , ‘ Mr. Orum , shortage or no shortage , you will have the peat moss you want , ’ ” said Orum . “ He was a very honest and trustworthy man and he expected the same from you . ”
Gunter retreat from the J - M Trading Corporation at 65 but desired to continue work . He found a paroxysm with the Lambert Peat Moss Company and continued his sales event vocation until a few years before he passed away .
The Gunter Mecking Memorial Scholarship fund was demonstrate at $ 20,000 and quickly turn to over $ 32,000 as more champion and colleagues find out of the endeavor to honor Gunter . Initial supporters , including Peter Orum of Midwest Groundcovers , LLC , Gabriel Lambert and K.C. Browne of Lambert Peat Moss Company , Joe Hobson of Midwest Trading Inc. , and his daughter Maria attest that Gunter would have been extremely prestigious and appreciative of this fund in his name to support our diligence ’s untested leaders .
To make a donation or to support other HRI opening move , call ( 614 ) 487 - 1117 or visithriresearch.org .
HRI ’s Endowment Fund was created to enable individuals , business , associations and basis to make revenue enhancement - deductible contributions to defend educational and scientific inquiry . The Endowment is now around $ 12 million , admit contribution and pledges . By natural law , the original fiscal donations are not available to be distributed to fund research . Only the proceeds , including pastime , dividends and realized cap gains , can be used to fund research . The annual enquiry financial support level vary with the amount of proceeds . To date , over $ 8 million has been distributed in encyclopaedism and deed over funding .
